Javadi spends $1 million to win back coast voters after party switch

Cyrus Javadi, who has represented House District 32 as a Republican for two terms, is seeking a third term as a Democrat. The move has transformed a routine legislative contest into one of the most scrutinized races in Oregon state politics this year. Javadi, 49, is asking voters to overlook his switch in allegiance while he attempts to hold onto a seat that has shifted parties in recent cycles.

The district spans the northern coast from Astoria south to Neskowin. The political dynamics there are complex. While registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by roughly 2,000, that advantage did not prevent Republicans from flipping the seat in 2020 after a 16-year Democratic hold. Nonaffiliated voters make up the largest bloc among the approximately 55,800 registered voters in the district. This demographic reality is driving the high cost of the campaign, with both candidates reporting that they have raised more than $1 million each.

Javadi’s decision to change parties followed a contentious legislative session last year. He provided the decisive vote to pass Governor Tina Kotek’s transportation tax and fee package, which included a 6-cent gas tax increase that drew widespread criticism. Javadi stated that without new revenue, maintenance funds would not reach the deteriorating roads in his district. He subsequently changed his registration to Democrat. His opponent, Max Sherman, a 69-year-old farmer and retired high school teacher from Hebo, has focused his campaign on Javadi’s shifting positions.

Sherman describes the North Coast’s economy as driven by agriculture, fishing, and forestry. His platform combines traditional Republican themes, such as reducing regulation and ending DEI initiatives, with an anti-tax stance. Sherman argues that while funding the Oregon Department of Transportation is a priority, it should not come at the cost of new taxes. "A lot of people here have lost trust in him," Sherman said regarding Javadi. The race has become a test of whether local voters prioritize ideological consistency or specific policy outcomes like road repairs.

Local party leaders have reacted to Javadi’s move with mixed emotions. Lisa Lamping, chair of the Clatsop County Republicans, who helped elect Javadi in 2022 and 2024, called him an opportunist. She noted that he previously opposed taxes and abortion but is now endorsed by Planned Parenthood. Lamping said reactions among local Republicans range from anger to relief. Former state legislator Betsy Johnson, who represented the area for two decades, has also thrown her support behind Sherman in television advertisements.

Javadi frames his evolution as a logical progression rather than a break from principle. He grew up in a conservative Mormon family in Utah and said he increasingly found his former colleagues' arguments unconvincing. Last year, he supported a Democratic bill to make it harder for school districts to ban books, citing his gay son. He also helped argue for a measure using taxes on healthcare providers to raise federal Medicaid funding. Javadi was the only Republican to support Kotek’s $4.3 billion transportation tax plan, arguing that the benefit of proper road maintenance justified the political risk.

Voters rejected the transportation tax package by a wide margin in May. Javadi maintains that the state still needs more money for infrastructure, but he acknowledges that voters want repairs without the specific 6-cent gas tax increase. He said the May vote rarely comes up during his door-to-door canvassing, even when he meets 30 or 40 people in a single day. His campaign is pushing the message that he stands by his values, a pitch that has resonated with some local Democrats, including a resident of Tillamook who described herself as a "big-time liberal."

The financial scale of the race has allowed both candidates to purchase advertisements in the Portland market, which reaches many voters in District 32. Sherman described the contest as a total toss-up that could be a nail-biter. Javadi, who writes lengthy posts on Substack explaining his changes in position, said he uses artificial intelligence primarily as an editor and organizer for those entries. He plans to continue knocking on doors until Election Day, aiming to secure enough support from the large nonaffiliated bloc to secure a third term.