John Lively has represented Springfield in the Oregon State House for 14 years. But the 79-year-old Democrat is retiring next January.
Next month, Democratic voters will nominate their choice for his successor. Three candidates are now in the race.
The winner is expected to face Adam Wilson, the only Republican who’s filed to run, in the November election.
Kori Rodley
Kori Rodley is a current Springfield City Council member representing Ward 3. She said she’s a progressive that would bring experience and grit to the legislature.
Rodley said she supports universal healthcare in Oregon, and wants to expand childcare access.
At the same time, she said Oregon will have to deal with loss of federal funding, and a tax base that is already feeling overburdened.
“We're going to have to look at how different segments of the population are impacted by different types of taxing or different types of cuts,” said Rodley, “and to prioritize the people who are most impacted, the people who have the most to lose.”
Rodley said in her current position, she’s seen how state laws can help, but also impede, housing developments in Springfield.
She said when the legislature has made sudden changes, it’s forced the city to pivot or redo its previous work.
“We need the legislation to not come at us so fast that we don't have time to figure out what it is,” said Rodley, “or to even figure out what pieces we can't or can't do.”
Rodley has drawn endorsements from multiple high-profile unions, including the Oregon Nurses Association and Oregon AFSCME. She’s also backed by U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle and two Lane County Commissioners, Laurie Trieger and Heather Buch.
As of April 15, Rodley has raised the most money this year of any of the candidates, topping $17,000.
Ky Fireside
Fireside is an archeologist and local progressive activist and organizer who led the first successful unionization of an Oregon Starbucks in 2022.
Last year, they co-founded Eyes Off Eugene, which pressured cities like Springfield to cut ties with Flock Safety over its AI-powered license plate cameras.
Fireside said the legislature now needs people who understand Flock cameras ahead of discussing new regulations.
They also promise to be a Democrat who won’t water down a proposal for single-payer healthcare.
“I'm going to do things that help the average person, that help the working class person,” said Fireside, “making sure that their taxes don't go crazy, or making sure that we aren't being taken advantage of by some of these giant corporations.”
Fireside said they would vote to address Oregon’s budget issues by raising taxes on the state’s highest earners.
“It’s not like all this money has left the state,” said Fireside. “We just need to rebalance our priorities and make sure that we’re collecting revenue from CEOs making millions and millions of dollars.”
Fireside has backing from UO’s Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, the Eugene Tenant Alliance and the Sierra Club. They’ve also been endorsed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.
They’ve raised more than $14,000 so far this year.
KC Huffman
KC Huffman is a Springfield business attorney and a former law clerk. He describes himself as progressive on social issues, but closer to the center on economic ones.
“We're getting into the point now with politics where it's easier to be disagreeable than to just disagree,” said Huffman. “And I don't believe in that. I think we can disagree and have honest debate on issues and still walk out of the room.”
Huffman said he’s running because he wants Springfield to keep growing. He said that could mean new pilot programs to offer funding for local businesses, or making state regulations easier and faster to navigate.
As a father of four, Huffman said he’s also concerned about school curriculum requirements holding teachers back.
“Teachers are working hard,” said Huffman. ”I’m feeling a disconnect sometimes between what they are told they need to be teaching—and how they're needing to be teaching it—and connecting with the students.”
Like the other candidates, Huffman said he supports plans for a single-payer healthcare plan. But he said insurance, medical, and public policy-makers need to be at the table to help shape it.
Huffman hasn’t reported any campaign fundraising, and said he hasn’t been seeking endorsements.
“What I really want is people to look at who I am and who the other candidates are, what we say and what we do and what our ideas are,” said Huffman.
General Election
Adam Wilson, the Republican who is unopposed in the May primary, is a Springfield financial advisor. He’s said he'll cut regulations that he says are impeding business growth, as well as regulations that he says are hurting affordable housing development and school success.
In recent general elections, the Democrats have won this seat with comfortable margins. Lively beat his Republican opponents by more than 4% in 2022, and nearly 12% in 2024.
However, Rodley said with Lively's retirement, she’s expecting more attention and competition in the race this fall.
“It is so important who wins in the primary, because the real hard race is going to start then,” said Rodley. “This is a very purple district.”
In a past interview with KLCC, Lively described himself as a moderate. But both of the progressives in this race said they are ready to connect with swing voters.
Fireside said they can find common ground on issues like healthcare, government surveillance, and affordability.
“They want someone who's maybe just more of a real, sincere person that seems to understand those kinds of struggles,” said Fireside, “that understands what it's like to not be able to afford food or fuel.”
Lively hasn’t yet publicly endorsed a candidate. But his campaign committee has contributed to two of them, giving $1,000 to Rodley in September, and $1,000 to Fireside in February.
