Oregon — Lane County Planning Commission member Jack Tibbetts is seeking the Republican nomination for Senate District 6. Incumbent Senator Cedric Hayden is barred from seeking re-election this term, and one of the Representatives from his District, Jami Cate, is running to replace him with the support of several local public figures including Linn County Commissioner Roger Nyquist, Sodaville Mayor Brian Lewis, and retired Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller.
The other Representative from SD6, Darin Harbick, was originally elected as a conservative challenger to Rep. Charlie Conrad following a contentious vote on legislation relating to abortion and transgender health care. Harbick is backing Tibbetts, whose website promises to, “support family freedom and parental choice when it comes to the child’s welfare and education,” and, “support life and bringing children into the world.”
In 2016, the Sonoma County, California Democratic Party voted to adopt the California Democratic Party’s platform, which included a commitment to, “Preserve confidential, unrestricted access to affordable, high quality, culturally sensitive health care services, including the full range of reproductive services, contraception and abortion, without requiring guardian, judicial, parental, or spousal consent or notification.” Also endorsed by the Sonoma County Democratic Party: Santa Rosa City Council candidate Jack Tibbetts. While Sonoma Democrats were enthusiastic about local election results, they were less than thrilled by Donald Trump’s election, posting on Facebook in December 2016, “As 2016 ends and 2017 begins, we as Democrats will be challenged not to give up or give in. We will overcome and build toward better times. That is what we do. Together.”
Campaign mailers obtained by Right Now Oregon show a decidedly liberal campaign message, encouraging voters, “By Mail or on November 8, Vote Democrat.” Prominently featured is the endorsement of Bay Area Congressman Mike Thompson, a reliably progressive member of the House of Representatives who also endorsed Hillary Clinton for President that fall.
In 2006, Thompson was one of several Democratic Catholic members of Congress who signed a statement in favor of abortion presented by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. The statement invited condemnation from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, who said that although they, “welcome the Representatives’ recognition that Catholics in public life must act seriously and responsibly on many important moral issues,” ultimately, “Catholic teaching calls all Catholics to work actively to restrain, restrict and bring to an end the destruction of unborn human life. As the Church carries out its central responsibility to teach clearly and help form consciences, and as Catholic legislators seek to act in accord with their own consciences, it is essential to remember that conscience must be consistent with fundamental moral principles. “
Tibbetts was endorsed by several county, city, and school officials, along with the North Bay Labor Council and the Sierra Club. On November 10, 2016, the Sierra Club’s executive director published his assessment of Donald Trump’s approaching term:
Make no mistake — the election of Donald Trump could be devastating for our climate and our future. Donald Trump now has the unflattering distinction of being the only head of state in the entire world to reject the scientific consensus that mankind is driving climate change. Campaigning is one thing; governing is another. Trump must choose whether he will be a president remembered for putting America and the world back on a path to climate disaster, or for listening to the American public, investing in the fastest-growing sector in the U.S. economy — clean energy — and keeping us on a path of climate progress.
Tibbetts shared his story about ideological evolution over time:
I’ve always been open about my political journey.
I grew up around Democrats and attended a liberal college, identifying early on as a Kennedy Democrat. When I first ran for nonpartisan office in my early 20s, I joined the party of Jefferson and Jackson.
Over time, I became concerned with the party’s direction, particularly the violent anti-police rhetoric, the dogmatic anti-life and pro-trans agenda of many progressives, and what I saw as a complete untethering from support for a capitalist economy.
As a Catholic and a father, I ultimately concluded I could no longer remain, so I left the party and stepped away from office, following in the footsteps of others like Ronald Reagan and the man I voted for president in 2016, Donald Trump.
I moved my family to Oregon to be closer to our relatives and our roots. As the fourth generation of Tibbetts to live and work in Oregon, this state is home for us. I made a deliberate decision to raise my children in agriculture so they would grow up with the values of hard work, authenticity, and faith.
I never planned to run for office in Oregon, but after raising children here and owning and operating an agriculture business, I have grown concerned about the direction our state is heading. I am a fighter and a hard worker, and I believe Oregon needs someone willing to carry the fight to the Democrats running this state into the ground.
That is why I am running for office as a proud Republican who supports the Second Amendment, opposes new taxes, and is focused on fighting for the families of the Willamette Valley who want lower taxes, less regulation, and commonsense leadership.
Rep. Jami Cate also commented on her opponent’s political history:
The saying “Don’t California my Oregon” comes to mind. Rural Oregon doesn’t need California Democrats moving here, acting like they’ve changed their stripes, but bringing their tax schemes and failed housing policies. We’ve got enough to worry about, like fighting back against Tina Kotek and the extreme liberal agenda coming out of Portland.
The primary election will be held on May 19, 2026, conducted by mail all across Oregon. Voters can find more information about Senate District 6 candidates on their respective websites.
Editor’s Note
Right Now Oregon, LLC President Alex McHaddad previously endorsed Rep. Jami Cate for Senate District 6 in his capacity as a former local government official in Linn County. Right Now Oregon, LLC has no editorial stance on the Senate District 6 race and does not intend to endorse any candidate. Statements from Councilor Tibbetts and Rep. Cate were requested by Right Now Oregon and published without modification.
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Fun fact. On February 7, 2017, Tibbetts voted for Santa Rosa to be a sanctuary city. Supposedly just a few months after voting for Trump. It was also right around that time that he also pushed to give Legal Aid thousands of dollars to defend illegal immigrants from deportation.