Sarah Finger McDonald has announced she’s running for State Representative for District 16, which covers Corvallis and Adair Village.
McDonald currently serves on the Corvallis School Board. Two others are also seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat; Sami Al-Abdrabbuh, who serves alongside McDonald on the School Board, and Andrew Struthers, who had served as a Corvallis City Councilor. Whoever wins the Democratic nomination for this seat in May would be heavily favored to win the General Election in November.
The current occupant is Dan Rayfield, a Democrat who was first elected in 2014. Most recently, Rayfield has been serving as Speaker of the House, and he is now running to become Oregon’s next Attorney General.
McDonald’s Background
McDonald has served on the Corvallis School Board for the past 7 years, two as vice chair and two as the board’s chair. She also serves on the board of the Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety.
“I am excited for the opportunity to take the next step in my advocacy for education and gun violence prevention along with other key issues that impact Oregon families such as housing,” said McDonald.
“We need to adopt forward looking laws and budgets to build an Oregon that supports our children, families, and communities. My first experience in Oregon politics was advocating for stronger gun legislation. I’ve seen how important it is to build alliances and sit down at the table to get work done. I look forward to doing that for District 16 and all of Oregon.”
Along with her advocacy and board service, McDonald works as an academic advisor helping non-traditional students navigate the challenges of completing a degree, often while working and raising families.
John Dusek, a student McDonald advised, shared, “because of Sarah I will take away with me as I finish my degree the ability to identify the needs of others, realize the value of their dreams and willingly help them find a way to achieve them.”
McDonald and her husband have two children, one who graduated from Corvallis High and another who still attends school in the Corvallis district. McDonald is also a two time cancer survivor.
McDonald holds a PhD in Horticulture from Oregon State University. McDonald says that while she works with people rather than doing research, being a scientist influences her approach to problem solving.
McDonald said, “I want to understand the system that has created a problem or barrier. I want to talk to the people with the knowledge and experience needed to understand a problem. I want data and evidence when I am making decisions and developing solutions. This is how my training as a scientist drives my work and it is how I will approach working in Salem for District 16.”
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