The Mother PAC is excited to share our 2026 endorsements for the May 19, 2026 primary election! Meet the child care champions running for election that our endorsement committee vetted, interviewed, and endorsed below.
The deadline to register to vote or update your registration is April 28, 2026. This includes updating your voter registration with a specific political party. Oregon has closed primaries, meaning the Democratic and Republican party each holds a separate primary election to determine their nominees for the general election in November.
Ballots will be mailed to voters starting April 29, 2026. Ballots must be postmarked or dropped off at an official ballot drop site by 8pm on Election Day, May 19, 2026. Find an official ballot drop box near you here. And for more information on the voting in Oregon, read our Voter Registration Guide here.
Want to get involved and support our candidates? Find an event happening near you! From door knocking to phone banking, your efforts make a huge difference. Together, we can elect more care champions!
Statewide Races
Governor — Tina Kotek
✅ Supports universal preschool
✅ Supports access to abortion without restriction or limitations
✅ Will protect the Oregon Pay Equity Act
Governor Kotek has demonstrated a willingness to listen when caregivers and parents organize and speak up, and we will continue to push for bold policies that benefit all families. This endorsement reflects our belief that transformative change is driven by the voices of mothers and caregivers, and we’re ready to ramp up the fight for the care economy together.
“One of my priorities for my second term will be to expand affordable childcare and universal preschool to every corner of the state. I will be relying on experts, legislators, and community leaders and caregivers to help me craft the best way to make this a reality.” — Tina Kotek
Meet Tina and her campaign at tinafororegon.com.
Legislator Races
Senate District 11 (Keizer, Woodburn, Salem) — Teresa Alonso Leon
✅ Supports universal preschool
✅ Supports access to abortion without restriction or limitations
✅ Will protect the Oregon Pay Equity Act
✅ Committed to joining the Oregon Legislature Child Care Caucus
Teresa Alonso Leon has proven she will center the voices of parents and caregivers in the Oregon Legislature. As a proud member of the Purépecha community and a heritage rooted in cooperation and care, Teresa has spent twenty years in education helping Oregonians find new paths forward. Her track record as Chief Sponsor of Paid Leave Oregon — a program that has delivered over $1.8 billion in benefits to more than 200,000 Oregonians since 2023 — demonstrates her commitment to turning our shared values into real results for working families.
“When families have access to quality childcare, paid leave, and reproductive healthcare, they are able to work and thrive. When those systems fail, it is disproportionately women of color who absorb the cost. In 2027, I will prioritize care as a core economic issue—fighting to fully fund ERDC, eliminate the childcare waitlist, and protect Paid Family and Medical Leave. On reproductive justice, I will be unequivocal: every Oregonian deserves the right to make decisions about their own body, family, and future. Caregivers are doing essential work and must be supported.” – Teresa Alonso Leon
Meet Teresa and her campaign at teresa4senate.com.
Senate District 15 (Forest Grove, Cornelius, Hillsboro, Rock Creek) — Myrna Muñoz
✅ Supports universal preschool
✅ Supports access to abortion without restriction or limitations
✅ Will protect the Oregon Pay Equity Act
✅ Committed to joining the Oregon Legislature Child Care Caucus
Myrna Muñoz has proven she will center the voices of parents and caregivers in the Oregon Legislature. Myrna is a proud member of migrant and farmworker communities with nearly 30 years of experience building inclusive education systems that honor language, culture, and opportunity for every family. Myrna has carried those values through her work as a bilingual educator and education specialist. Her fight for child care funding, strong public schools, and healthcare access for multilingual and working families reflects our vision for an Oregon where every family has the resources and time to care for their loved ones.
“I will fight for full Employment Related Day Care funding because I know this crisis firsthand. As a former elementary and preschool teacher and a mother of two, I brought my children to my classroom as ‘helpers’ when I had no alternatives. I was privileged to even have that option. Most working families can’t do that. They’re forced to choose between paying rent and paying for childcare. That’s unacceptable. Workers and families know what they need; my job is to amplify their voices and assure my colleagues and I are accountable.” – Myrna Muñoz
Meet Myrna and her campaign at myrnaforsenate.com.
House District 27 (Beaverton, Cedar Hills) — Tammy Carpenter
✅ Supports universal preschool
✅ Supports access to abortion without restriction or limitations
✅ Will protect the Oregon Pay Equity Act
✅ Committed to joining the Oregon Legislature Child Care Caucus
Dr. Tammy Carpenter has proven she will center the voices of parents and caregivers in the Oregon Legislature. Her commitment to fully subsidizing child care, protecting Paid Leave Oregon, and fighting for universal healthcare reflects our vision for an Oregon where every family has economic security and the time to care for their loved ones.
“I support increasing taxes on corporations and high-net worth individuals to ensure that families have safe and caring places for their children when they return to the workforce. We are told that we can’t afford to pay caregivers a living wage because we need to keep it “affordable” for working families. I refuse to accept the notion that we must pit working families against each other. The state must fully subsidize this important work.” – Tammy Carpenter
Meet Tammy and her campaign at tammyfororegon.com.
House District 38 (Lake Oswego, Tigard, Durham, South Portland) — John Wasielewski
✅ Supports universal preschool
✅ Supports access to abortion without restriction or limitations
✅ Will protect the Oregon Pay Equity Act
✅ Committed to joining the Oregon Legislature Child Care Caucus
John Wasielewski’s commitment to dedicated revenue streams for childcare, protecting Paid Leave Oregon, and progressive tax reform aligns with our vision of an Oregon where all families can achieve economic security and have the time to care for their loved ones. As a public school teacher, he has seen firsthand how care and caregiving is essential to what teachers do in middle schools every day. John understands that we can’t keep relying on the same broken budget processes that leave working families behind.
“My commitment to care is rooted in three principles: leave working families stronger, leave the state in a better fiscal situation, and make sure everyone pays their fair share. I support local options like the Portland Preschool For All that created a dedicated revenue stream for families accessing childcare.” – John Wasielewski
Meet John and his campaign at wazfororegon.com.
House District 48 (Portland, Happy Valley, Damascus, Boring) — Lamar Wise
✅ Supports universal preschool
✅ Supports access to abortion without restriction or limitations
✅ Will protect the Oregon Pay Equity Act
✅ Committed to joining the Oregon Legislature Child Care Caucus
As a labor advocate fighting for the rights and dignity of working people, a board member of economic and social justice organizations, and the former executive director of the Oregon Student Association, Lamar Wise has worked hard to expand access to education, opportunity, and prosperity for everyone. Lamar showed up for mamas, caregivers, and families across District 48. He gets that when child care fails, families fall behind. And he’s ready to fight for the policies that keep kids safe, parents working, and communities strong.
“Caregivers, paid and unpaid, sustain our communities. From parents to elders, early educators or long-term care workers. I’ll fight for the real infrastructure our communities need: child care, healthcare, schools, housing.” — Lamar Wise
Meet Lamar and his campaign at wisefororegon.com.
County Races
Washington County (Banks, Beaverton, Cornelius, Durham, Forest Grove, Gaston, Hillsboro, King City, North Plains, Portland, Rivergrove, Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin, Wilsonville)
Chair — Nafisa Fai
✅ Supports universal preschool
✅ Supports access to abortion without restriction or limitations
At The Mother PAC, we know that transformative change requires leaders who understand that care work is the backbone of our economy. Nafisa Fai has proven she centers those voices in every decision she makes. Her commitment to treating care as infrastructure, protecting reproductive justice, and expanding access to affordable childcare aligns with our vision of an Oregon where every family has economic security and the time to care for their loved ones.
“Care is infrastructure. Caregiving, reproductive justice, and family stability must be treated as essential to the health of our communities and our economy, not as private burdens carried mostly by parents, caregivers, and families of color.” – Nafisa Fai
Meet Nafisa and her campaign at nafisaforwashingtoncounty.com.
Position 2 — Blayne Soleymani-Pearson
✅ Supports universal preschool
✅ Supports access to abortion without restriction or limitations
As a working father and domestic violence prosecutor, Blayne brings a unique perspective on how policy failures impact families at their most vulnerable. His commitment to universal preschool, direct-cash support for new families, and fully funded county health clinics reflects our vision of an Oregon where every family has economic security and the time to care for their loved ones.
“My commitment to care is rooted in three core areas: community safety, housing stability, and transportation access. Care is infrastructure—caregiving, reproductive justice, and family stability must be treated as essential to the health of our communities and our economy, not as private burdens. When we invest in care—childcare, housing, transit that connects families to job centers—we invest in every family’s ability to thrive.” – Blayne Soleymani-Pearson
Meet Blayne and his campaign at blaynefororegon.com.
Get Involved!
Support The Mother PAC to elect care champions across Oregon, like the ones above! Every $1 donated supports your fellow Oregonians through things like voter education, professional development, and empowerment at the ballot box. Join the movement!
If financial support is not feasible, we invite you to volunteer with us! From joining the Endorsement Committee to door knocking and phone banking, we’re getting the word out about Oregon’s care economy and care champions.
Every phone call and door knock supports caregivers and care providers by ensuring we have the representation we need in our legislature.
Why We Endorse
Since 2010, The Mother PAC has partnered with For All Families Oregon Action, our sibling political nonprofit, to work with mothers and caregivers to pass policies like Preschool for All in Multnomah County, paid family and medical leave, pay equity, and raising the minimum wage.
We attribute the lack of representation and support for families and caregivers to systems of systemic sexism and racism that allow care work to remain invisible and under-appreciated. Caregivers lift up our community and economy. They make all of the other work possible, as they are the workforce behind the workforce. As such, we endorse and support candidates who will prioritize care for every Oregonian, like the amazing candidates above.
