Javadi Defends Party Flip in Coast Race

Cyrus Javadi is running for a third term in Oregon House District 32 as a Democrat, a party switch he made after voting for a transportation tax package as a Republican. The 49-year-old lawmaker is asking voters in the coastal district to send him back to Salem under the new banner.

Javadi changed his party registration last year after providing the decisive vote to pass Gov. Tina Kotek's transportation fee increases. The package included a 6-cent gas tax hike that drew widespread criticism. He told voters the move was necessary to secure funding for roads in his district, which stretches from Astoria to Neskowin.

The district contains roughly 55,800 registered voters. Nonaffiliated voters outnumber both major parties in the area. About 2,000 more registered Democrats reside in the district than Republicans, a margin that did not prevent Republicans from flipping the seat in 2020 after 16 years of Democratic control.

Max Sherman, a 69-year-old farmer and retired high school teacher from Hebo, is challenging Javadi as the Republican nominee. Sherman emphasizes his background in agriculture, fishing, and forestry. He describes these sectors as the economic engines of the North Coast. His campaign promotes regulation cuts and the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives while labeling himself an anti-tax candidate.

"A lot of people here have lost trust in him," Sherman said regarding Javadi. Sherman also says funding the Oregon Department of Transportation is a priority, even as he positions himself against new taxes.

Both candidates have raised more than $1 million. The spending could make this the state's most expensive House race of the year. The funds have allowed both campaigns to purchase advertising in the Portland market, which covers the district. Sherman called the contest a total toss-up that could be a nail-biter.

Lisa Lamping, chair of the Clatsop County Republicans, described Javadi as an opportunist. She noted that he previously opposed taxes and abortion but is now endorsed by Planned Parenthood. Lamping, who helped elect Javadi in 2022 and 2024, said local reactions range from anger to good riddance. Former legislator Betsy Johnson, who represented the area for two decades, has also endorsed Sherman in television ads.

Javadi frames his political evolution as a strength. He grew up in a conservative Mormon family in Utah and said he found Republican arguments increasingly unconvincing. He supported a bill making it harder for school districts to ban books, citing his gay son. He was the only Republican to back Kotek's $4.3 billion transportation plan, stating the reward for doing the right thing justified the potential political costs.

Voters rejected the tax package in a May election by a wide margin. Javadi believes the state still needs more road money but acknowledges voters want repairs without the gas tax. He reported meeting 30 to 40 people per day during canvassing. He said the tax vote rarely comes up in those conversations. His campaign promotes the message that he stands by his values. He uses artificial intelligence to edit and organize his Substack posts but writes the bulk of the content himself. He plans to knock on doors until Election Day.