Effective March 15, there’s a vacancy in Oregon House District 47 in outer east Portland, following the resignation of state representative Diego Hernandez in the wake of sexual harassment allegations. Multnomah County commissioners will choose this month who to appoint from among three contenders recommended by Democratic precinct committee persons in the district. In order of preference, they are Andrea Valderrama, Adrienne Enghouse, and Robin Castro.
Enghouse, a nurse at Kaiser Permanente, is former president of Oregon Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) and a graduate of the Oregon Labor Candidates School. Valderrama, policy director for ACLU of Oregon, last year filed a restraining order against Hernandez for violent and threatening behavior. Castro is an environmental scientist and ran for Portland City Council in 2020.
Another unionist, SEIU Local 503 steward and East County Rising board member Cayle Tern, also sought appointment but didn’t make the top three.
