NEWS, POLITICS

House District 21 sees Stapleton opposing Mannnix

By LYNDON ZAITZ of the Keizertimes

The campaign for state representative serving Keizer pits incumbent Kevin Mannix against Salem City Councilor Virginia Stapleton. 

The race has elicited letters to editors for both candidates. Online and TV campaign ads from the campaigns portray the opponent as unsafe for Oregonians.

Mannix is a long-time Republican politician in the state. He won the House seat in 2022. He previously served as a state senator and representative; he also ran as the Republican nominee for governor in 2002. 

Virginia Stapleton, a Democrat, has served on the Salem City Council since 2021.

Identified as a swing district, the race for the seat is contentious and will be closely watched on election night.

An issue both candidates want to address as a legislator is housing affordability.  Stapleton wants to increase the state’s housing supply.

“It is a critical issue that not only helps address our unhoused crisis but will also help drive down the cost of housing for everyone,” according to Stapleton’s campaign material.

Mannix is campaigning to fight for housing affordability. 

“Cities across the state need help building the infrastructure that supports these housing projects,” she said.

“Inflation and lack of affordable housing is turning Oregon into the next California, and Salem-Keizer into the next Portland,” his campaign material said.

Mannix is seeking another term to seek bipartisan solutions. Democrats control the House and the Senate.

“I think that we need to have members of the legislature who can work across the aisle to get things done,” he said in an interview. “I am old school. I believe that my colleagues are by and large good people trying to do good things.”

Recognizing different philosophies  on some issues, Mannix said legislators need to come together whenever they can to solve problems. 

“I’ve had a track record of being able to do that,” he added.

Regarding housing, Mannix thinks there needs to be sensitivity to urban suburban overdevelopment and over infusion. 

“I think we should support the solutions that the communities come up with,” said Mannix. He added that the state should encourage development of residential housing, single-family homes. 

“We need to be making positive use of the resource land that we have, and the state needs to be engaged in helping provide that land,” he said.

Mannix said the challenge facing Oregonians is a loss of hope. 

“I think that a lot of folks in the state are now disappointed that they feel that the government is not solving the issues that confront them,” he said. “I’ve heard this from so many people. When I talk about homelessness and I talk about drug addiction and mental health, they look around them and they think that we’ve fallen backwards and they wonder whether or not we can get on a path towards a better future.”

He said he reminds Oregonians that the legislature dealt with the aftermath of Measure 110, which decriminalized personal use of drugs. He said the state hasn’t moved far enough in terms of facilities and education for those who are treatment providers or need treatment. 

Mental health is a priority for Stapleton. She believes it is critical that the state continues to tackle the mental and behavioral health crisis. 

“We cannot have families and individuals who are in crisis not being able to access care. We must find ways to address the acute need now and then plan for our future where everyone can gain access to the care they need,” according to her campaign material.

“If we’re not helping people stay healthy in terms of addiction and mental health, that’s a serious shortfall for the state,” Mannix said. “They could be more productive if they’re in better shape. I think there is a sense that our government is not delivering on the things that citizens want to see. So it’s my job to try to come up with approaches that will do a better job of delivering.”

In the swing district that leans Democratic, Mannix is campaigning to make sure his Democrat constituents know that he is working for everybody. 

“We’ve got our non-affiliates, our Republicans. It’s my job to represent all of them. And that doesn’t mean it’s my job to agree with all of them. Most of them understand that I’m here to work for solutions. And you will not see me say nasty things personally about anybody in public office,” he said. 

He cited one achievement from the most recent session as the estate tax exemption for family farms and ranches and woodlands. 

“They can pass it on to the kids without having a devastating estate tax imposed,” he said.

Mannix opposed the proposed payroll tax in Salem, which was defeated in a special election in 2023.

Stapleton has come under attack for pushing the payroll tax. In an interview she said Mayor Chris Hoy asked her to shepherd it through the council in her role as chair of the budget committee.

The backlash was swift as a petition to place the issue on the ballot garnered thousands of signatures, resulting in the lop-sided election result.

“There is no perfect option,” said Stapleton, addressing Salem’s budget crisis, adding that the choice is between raising revenue or cutting services. “We need to rekindle community engagement,” she said.

Stapleton is in her element with hard choices, such as a payroll tax, she is a self-described political nerd. 

“At times I’m an activist, sometimes I’m a politician,” she said. “Activism is being out front of the community.”

The race has attracted big money to the campaign. 

State campaign reports as of Wednesday, Oct. 16, showed Mannix has raised $756,428 and spent $699,918. Stapleton raised $241,035 and spent $197,316.

Contact the publisher Lyndon Zaitz:
at [email protected]
or 503-390-1051.

KEVIN MANNIX
VIRGINIA STAPLETON