Oregon House District 54’s Democratic primary got interesting this election season when Andrew Caruana elected to run against incumbent Jason Kropf. Caruana is a newcomer to being a candidate in the public sector, but his knowledge of the Oregon State Legislative Assembly is surprisingly deep. Andrew serves on the Disability Health and Employment Equity Coalition as its Legislative Advocacy Coordinator and holds a position on the City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee, so he is no stranger to public service. Central Oregon will be well served by having Caruana in a larger role politically, but it is not quite time to send him to the legislature. Caruana would do well running for and holding an elected office at the city or county level where he can move from serving as a critic to a wider policy advocate.
We support the work that Jason Kropf has done for the region. One of the high bars that we set for elected officials is their ability to bring dollars back to our region. A leadership role in the House Democratic Caucus matters in this respect. Jason has his fingerprints on both Mosaic Medical Community Health’s $4 million dollar boost in funding and Oregon State University-Cascades’ triumph of $42 million in the last session. His work in early childhood literacy is exactly the type of support our education system needs.
Perhaps the most significant work that Kropf does for the region and the state is in his role as the chair of the House Judiciary committee. With his background working in the District Attorney’s office, Kropf has experience that allows him to be a leader in setting and resolving complicated legal matters. The mess of Measure 110 on drug policy fell to Kropf and a Senate colleague to find a meaningful path forward. It is not flashy work. It requires someone who can work with the various stakeholders of both political persuasions – many of whom do not agree at all about how to handle drug policy in the state.
The House Judiciary work is usually nuanced and requires time and effort to reach an equitable solution. Perhaps no issue reflects that more than the recent resolution of the recreational immunity bill surrounding liability waivers. Striking a balance between insurance companies, trial lawyers, recreational and event companies and individual rights groups is no small task. Yet most agree that the compromise bill struck a balance that participants support. The bill in the previous session did not do that and it took political courage on Kropf’s part to continue to work toward the best solution.
We endorse Jason Kropf for House District 54. Over the time he has served in the legislature he has not shied away from difficult issues and has the temperament to work well across the aisle to represent a broad cross section of Central Oregon and the state.
This article appears in the Source April 9, 2026.
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When all of your endorsements every year are Democrats are you really endorsing anyone? For sure you need to get some viewpoint diversity at your paper.