Editor:
As the Republican primary for House District 11 takes shape, I think it is worth taking a step back and looking at this race from a slightly different perspective.
This is shaping up to be an interesting matchup between Sweet Home City Councilor Angelita Sanchez and Lebanon Mayor Ken Jackola.
Angelita Sanchez announced her campaign back in July of 2025. At that time, she was already well known in Republican circles for her years of involvement, leadership, and volunteer work supporting candidates and causes across Linn County and the state.
Mayor Jackola, on the other hand, entered the race much later in February of this year. What stands out to me is that when Sanchez announced, Jackola was not registered as a Republican. He was a non-affiliated voter and later changed his registration in order to run in the Republican primary.
That is something voters should at least think about.
We have seen situations like this before. When party affiliation changes close to an election, it raises a simple question. Is this about conviction or about opportunity? Oregon voters recently watched something similar with Oregon State Representative for house district 32 Cyrus Javadi, where party alignment and key votes raised concerns about consistency. It is not about direction of the switch, it is about whether the principles stay steady.
In contrast, Sanchez has a long track record as a consistent Republican. She served as Secretary and later Vice Chair of the Linn County Republicans and also took on a statewide role as Election Chair for the Oregon Republican Party. She played a part in organizing opposition to Oregon Measure 117, which voters ultimately rejected.
More importantly, she has shown up. Regularly. Consistently. Not just during election season, but year after year.
I saw that firsthand when I served as Chair of the Linn County Republican Central Committee. Sanchez was at meetings twice a month, sometimes stepping in when I was out of town. That kind of steady involvement matters more than campaign slogans.
She has also earned the support of local leadership, including endorsements from 2 out of 3 Linn County Commissioners: Will Tucker and Roger Nyquist.
To be clear, this is not about tearing down Mayor Jackola. He may very well be doing a good job in Lebanon. But running as a Republican for state office should mean something more than just filing paperwork and changing a registration.
Voters in House District 11 have a choice between someone who has been committed to Republican values and grassroots work for years, and someone who only recently joined the party before entering the race.
That is not a complicated decision.
While I do not live in House District 11, I care about these communities. I spend time in Sweet Home at Foster Lake, and my son attends school in Lebanon. Because of that, I am paying attention, and I am supporting Angelita Sanchez.
That is my viewpoint.
Ben Roche
Albany