By Bryan Iverson, Crosstabs Podcast
November 24, 2025 – In the shadow of Oregon’s towering evergreens and amid the rising frustrations of families grappling with soaring costs and fraying communities, an unlikely warrior has stepped into the political arena. Michele Stroh, a lifelong Oregonian and devoted mother, is mounting an independent bid for Oregon State Senate District 20. Her campaign isn’t born from the polished corridors of party machines but from the raw ache of personal tragedy and a fierce commitment to the everyday Oregonians she says have been silenced under years of one-party rule in Salem.
Stroh’s story is one of quiet resilience turned bold action. For 36 years, she and her husband have called Oregon home, raising five children in a state they once cherished for its boundless opportunities. A former banker, Stroh traded spreadsheets for storytime when she launched a small childcare business, creating what she calls a “home away from home” for kids in need. Her life revolved around the rhythms of family and community: cheering at marching band events, guiding 4H projects, coaching youth sports, and supporting student council initiatives. It was a tapestry of normalcy, woven with the threads of small-town values and big-hearted service.
But in 2020, that world shattered. Stroh’s son, Keaton, was killed instantly by a fake pill laced with fentanyl – a heartbreaking reminder of the opioid crisis tearing through America’s heartland. “Losing Keaton wasn’t just a personal loss; it was a call to arms for every parent watching their kids navigate a world rigged against them,” Stroh said in a recent interview. From the ashes of grief, she channeled her pain into purpose. She ran for and won a seat on the Oregon City School Board, determined to educate and protect the next generation. There, she didn’t just advocate; she delivered results. Partnering with school nurses, Stroh spearheaded Clackamas County’s first Narcan policy, a unanimous victory that equips educators with life-saving tools. She didn’t stop at the local level – pushing through statewide mandates for fentanyl and drug education in every Oregon school during the last legislative session.
As Chair of Oregon City Together, a coalition dedicated to drug and alcohol prevention, Stroh hosts monthly education nights alongside local police officers, demystifying the dangers of synthetic opioids for parents and teens alike. Her bipartisan bona fides shine through in her work with the Fix M110 coalition, where she helped craft amendments to Oregon’s controversial drug decriminalization measure. “We need to give law enforcement the tools to go after the dealers flooding our streets, not just treat symptoms,” she emphasizes.
Last spring, voters reaffirmed her leadership with a resounding re-election to the school board. Now, at 55, Stroh is trading the classroom for the Capitol, running as an Republican and independent to elevate the voices drowned out by Portland Democrats’ grip on power.
District 20, stretching from the suburban sprawl of Oregon City to the rural edges of Clackamas County, embodies Oregon’s divides: bustling families priced out of their dreams, small businesses buckling under regulations, and once-safe neighborhoods haunted by unchecked crime. Stroh sees the race as a referendum on the status quo, pitting her against incumbent Democrat Mark Meek, whom she accuses of rubber-stamping tax hikes and failed experiments. “Oregon is the fourth-highest taxed state in the nation, and families are fleeing because of it,” Stroh declares on her campaign site, votestroh.com. “We can’t keep throwing money at problems without accountability.”
At the core of Stroh’s platform is fiscal sanity – or, as she brands it, the “No Gas Tax Candidate” pledge. In a state where pump prices already sting, Stroh vows to block any new levies on fuel, arguing they disproportionately hammer working-class commuters and rural drivers. “I’m the frugal mom who clips coupons and balances the checkbook; Salem needs that mindset,” she quips. Her economic vision extends beyond the gas station: She wants to slash red tape that strangles small businesses, the lifeblood of Oregon’s economy. Drawing from her childcare venture, Stroh knows the grind of entrepreneurship all too well. “Starting a business shouldn’t feel like climbing Mount Hood in flip-flops,” she says. By promoting tight budgets and rejecting “bloated tax bills as quick fixes,” she aims to make Oregon the premier place to launch a startup, raise a family, and build a future – reversing the exodus of 75,000 residents since 2020, many citing costs and quality-of-life woes.
Public safety, inextricably linked to her son’s story, forms the beating heart of Stroh’s campaign. “Our communities don’t feel safe anymore, and that’s unacceptable,” she asserts. Oregon’s post-2020 crime surge – with property theft up 20% and violent incidents spiking in urban fringes – has left residents barricading doors and avoiding evening walks. Stroh calls for full funding of law enforcement, rigorous enforcement of existing statutes, and real consequences for lawlessness. No more revolving doors for repeat offenders; no more defunding the badges that protect us. Her fentanyl fight underscores this: By amending Measure 110, she’s bridged aisles to restore penalties for dealers while expanding treatment access. “We treat addiction with compassion, but we treat traffickers with the full weight of the law,” Stroh explains. It’s a balanced approach that resonates in a district weary of extremes.
Education, another pillar forged in her school board crucible, demands a return to basics. Stroh decries “extreme policies” that have eroded standards, allowing graduates to bypass mastery of core skills like reading and math. “Our kids deserve diplomas that mean something – preparation for college, trade school, or the workforce, not a participation trophy,” she argues. Under her watch, Oregon would reinstate accountability metrics, ensuring teachers have resources without bureaucratic shackles.
It’s personal: As a mother of five, Stroh watched her own children thrive in supportive schools, and she won’t stand for a system shortchanging the next wave.
Homelessness, the visible scar on Oregon’s streets, draws Stroh’s ire toward the “Housing First” model’s pitfalls. Billions poured in, yet encampments persist, tangled in permitting delays and overcomplicated regs. “We’ve got results-oriented solutions gathering dust while families sleep in tents,” she laments. Stroh pushes for streamlined builds, mental health integrations, and incentives for private-sector involvement – practical steps over performative spending. Her coalition work has already connected unhoused individuals with services; in the Senate, she’d scale that up, partnering with faith-based groups and nonprofits for on-the-ground impact.
Endorsements are ringing in, signaling Stroh’s crossover appeal. Oregon Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr, a veteran lawmaker, threw his weight behind her early: “Michele Stroh is exactly the kind of leader we need in Salem. She brings integrity, courage, and real-world experience to the table. As a school board member, mother, and business owner, she understands the issues Oregonians face every day. I’m proud to support her campaign for Senate District 20.” It’s a nod from the GOP establishment to a candidate who defies labels, much like the district she seeks to represent.
As election year looms in 2026, Stroh’s grassroots engine hums: She has been leading the effort on the gas tax referral, lining up volunteers and talking to real Oregonians at their kitchen tables. Donations flow to her PAC via votestroh.com. “This isn’t about left or right; it’s about right and wrong for Oregon,” she told me. “For Keaton, for our kids, for the state we love – we fight on.”
In a political landscape starved for authenticity, Michele Stroh emerges not as a savior, but as a sentinel: watchful, wounded, and unwavering. District 20 – and perhaps Oregon itself – could use a dose of her resolve. As one supporter put it, “She’s the mom we all wish we had in our corner.” Time will tell if voters agree.
Bryan Iverson is the host of the Crosstabs Podcast, diving deep into the data and drama of Oregon elections. Follow him on X @BryanGIverson for more insights.
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