2026 Primary Election: When we fight, we win!!!
Why Our Union Gets Political
Every so often, members ask why our union gets involved in elections. Oregon's 2026 Primary gives us a clear answer: from endorsing candidates to knocking on doors, SEIU Local 49 members led the charge this election cycle, and we made a real difference.
One of Our Own Steps Up
Myrna Muñoz is an SEIU 503 member who works for the Oregon Department of Education. Last year, she went to the Capitol to talk to her State Senator, Janeen Sollman, about SB 916, a bill that would give striking workers access to unemployment insurance. Senator Sollman told Myrna she wouldn't support it.
That was a wake-up call. Myrna started asking: who was going to fight for working families if not us?
Then the same senator backed a bill to hand out tax breaks to large corporations, including data centers, while working families struggled to make ends meet. The community pushed back hard. And when no one else stepped up to run against her, Myrna decided she would.
SEIU Local 49 members talked to both candidates and took a hard look at the Senator's record. We decided it was time to take a stand, support our fellow member, and make clear what we stand for.
What Myrna Stands For
Myrna's campaign was built around the issues that matter most to working families in Oregon like protecting workers' rights on the job, expanding access to affordable healthcare, strengthening public education, and making sure corporations pay their fair share. She knows these issues firsthand because she lives them, just like the rest of us. That's exactly the kind of voice we need in the legislature.
We Put in the Work
Through COPE, our voluntary Political Action Committee, we helped fund Myrna's campaign. Our members knocked on nearly 13,000 doors for her. She was outspent more than 2-to-1 by a corporate-backed opponent, but people-power won out over special interest money. That's what our union is all about.
Across all our races this cycle, Local 49 members helped knock on more than 25,000 doors and call 12,000 voters. We focused on close races where our effort could tip the balance — and it did. Early results looked tight, but we kept going right up until ballots were due. When all the votes were counted, our candidates came out on top.
The Wins
Myrna Muñoz won her primary for State Senate
Dr. Tammy Carpenter won a tough primary for State Representative
Nafisa Fai, Washington County Commissioner, made the runoff for County Chair
Jennifer Smith, an SEIU member, won her race for Eugene City Council
Vanessa Nordyke was elected Mayor of Salem
And more victories up and down the ballot!
The Work Continues
Take a moment to celebrate what we built together. But this isn't the finish line. Some races will be decided in November, and we'll have another big push in the General Election.
More than that — winning elections is just the beginning. Our goal isn't just to elect good candidates; it's to build the kind of power that wins better contracts, stronger budgets, and real policies that lift up working families. We're ready to hold these candidates accountable and push hard for the Oregon we all deserve.
