Democratic Party of Oregon Gears Up for 2020 Races With New Leadership

K.C. Hanson will replace Jeanne Atkins as DPO chair.

Oregon Democrats watch election results on Nov. 6. (Justin Katigbak)
By Sophie Peel

The Democratic Party of Oregon has elected new leadership in preparation for the 2020 election and a crowded presidential primary.

Carla "KC" Hanson, longtime progressive in Oregon politics, takes the helm as the new party chair. In a statement, Hanson called it an "honor" to have been chosen "during these historic times."

Hanson replaces current DPO Chairwoman Jeanne Atkins, who led the organization through incumbent Gov. Kate Brown's re-election in her 2018 race against the GOP nominee, state Rep. Knute Buehler (R-Bend). Atkins announced she would not run for re-election in January.

The state party coordinates local activity in Oregon's 36 counties, manages volunteers, oversees the party's platform and works to get Democratic candidates elected.

Hanson served as the Chair for the Multnomah Democratic Party for 5 years prior to her bid for the DPO position.

Hanson laid out strategies she plans on implementing to increase the party's inclusion of groups that have not historically been well "cross-pollinated" with the DPO.

"The Democratic Party of Oregon, as an entity, has long struggled to attract volunteers and activists more representative of all Oregon Democratic voters," Hanson said. "It is incumbent upon us as local activists to make the connections, to show up at their public meetings, to invite them to our events."

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