Salem – Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell filed to run in the 2026 Republican primary for Governor of Oregon on September 22, 2025. The office is currently held by Governor Tina Kotek, D-Salem. Commissioner Bethell announced her campaign on her website.
Oregon is at a crossroads. After years of progressive‑centric policymaking and reactive crisis management, trust in Salem is at an all‑time low. Tent encampments, shuttered storefronts, failed infrastructure and annual wildfires aren’t partisan talking points, they’re the daily reality for too many Oregonians.
I’m running because I’ve spent the last five years turning crisis into progress at the county level and I know we can do the same statewide. As Commissioner for Marion County, the fifth largest county in Oregon, equally urban and equally rural, I’ve seen firsthand how disconnected state government has become.
Marion County is home to a thriving capital city, no thanks to the state government that calls it home, and thousands of small family farms. It’s where high-tech meets agriculture, where frontline public safety demands meet the quiet needs of rural communities. Governing here requires balance, accountability, and respect for people with very different needs. It requires honesty. Plainspokenness. A willingness to tell the truth even when there’s a cost to doing so. That’s exactly the kind of leadership Oregon has been missing in the Governor’s Office.
AdvertisementsWhile others debate theory, I’ve balanced budgets, negotiated contracts, and kept public safety systems funded. I’ve stood shoulder-to-shoulder with wildfire survivors, addiction counselors, and small-town mayors. I’ve fought for housing and infrastructure projects that matter to both working families and small businesses. That hands-on executive experience is exactly what Oregon hasn’t had in the Governor’s Office for far too long, and it shows.
I’m not an off-the-shelf candidate. I haven’t spent my life climbing the political ladder or building a career in rulemaking. I’ve been in the trenches. Starting a business, raising a family, then working in local government. Negotiating contracts, balancing budgets, and making tough calls when the state walked away. While others draft laws from a distance, I’ve been the one responsible for turning those laws into results people can actually feel in their daily lives.
About the Author
I see you have sent out email identifying individuals filing for candidacies, but I have not seen the announcement of my filing for State Senate District 16.