Zach Hudson

Zach Hudson earned a high school diploma from Ashland High School. He earned a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Winchester in England and a master's degree in education from Portland State University. Hudson's career experience includes working as a high school and community college teacher.[1][2][3]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have taught in East Multnomah County schools, including Reynolds High School and Mount Hood Community College, for 18 years, and I still continue to teach between legislative sessions. Before being elected to the State Legislature, I served on the Troutdale City Council. I live in Troutdale with my wife and three kids.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Treating Addiction: Oregon needs to do more to help people recover from addiction, which means both treatment and enforcement. I will continue to support legislation that gets drugs off our streets, expands treatment, and prevents overdose deaths. I voted for House Bill 4002, which reimposed penalties for drug use and created a framework for diversion and treatment programs, and I will continue to advocate for community resources, such as Gresham's EMOPI program, that help young people stay out of trouble.Lowering Housing Costs and Addressing Homelessness: I have secured funding for East County housing but we must do more. We must increase housing stock, expand access to mental health services, and establish robust tenant protections to keep people healthy and housed. I have secured state funding in East County for programs that help connect unsheltered people to housing and employment, and for investments in housing supply.Defending the Right to Choose: Following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, I helped pass legislation to guarantee Oregonians’ access to abortion. I'm proud to have the endorsement of Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon. I am the only pro-choice candidate in this race!

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a school teacher and college instructor, education is very important to me. I currently chair the House Higher Education Committee, and I look forward to continuing the legislature's work to make higher education more accessible and to strengthen the connections between higher ed and employment.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I love getting into policy details, I love building support among stakeholders, and I love interacting with constituents and concerned citizens about how to help Oregon grow and prosper.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Oregon has been hit hard by the addiction and housing crisis, but as we continue to build out of that, we need to keep our eye on education funding, emergency preparedness, and moving toward a carbon-free future.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. No legislation succeeds without a team effort. I have been honored to work with legislators in my party and across the aisle alongside advocacy groups and concerned citizens to pass legislation. My first bill was a bipartisan bill that made it easier for people experiencing homelessness to get state ID to help with housing and employment.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I have been endorsed by the Oregon Education Association, AFT-Oregon, Oregon School Employees Association, Oregon AFL-CIO, SEIU, AFSCME, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, Oregon State Fire Fighters Council, Basic Rights Oregon, Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon, Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Human Voters Oregon, Stand for Children, LiUNA (Laborers of Oregon and Southern Idaho), Western States Carpenters, Sheet Metal Workers local 16, Iron Workers local 29, United Food and Commercial Workers local 555, IBEW local 48, Teamsters Joint Council 37, UA Plumbers and Steamfitters local 37 and the Gresham Professional Fire Fighters local 1062.

What committees interest you?

I currently serve on the House Labor and Workforce Standards Committee and the House Education Committee, and I chair the House Higher Education Committee.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I live in Troutdale with my wife and three kids. I have been teaching in East County schools for 17 years now, mostly in special education. Before I represented House District 49, I served on the Troutdale City Council. During the 2021 and 2022 sessions, I have worked to support working families, improve education, protect our environment, increase access to health care and affordable housing, and help our unhoused neighbors get off the streets. I am pro-choice, I will always stand up for our LGBTQ+ community, and I am committed to a sustainable energy future.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Support public safety and reduce unauthorized camping by getting resources to East County and better coordinating resources between the state, county and cities.Support education, including increased mental health supports for students and expanded vocational pathways.Stand up for working families by increasing access to affordable housing, medical care and childcare.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have worked on legislation to help those experiencing homelessness, to support labor unions, to protect wildlife, to expand education options, to reduce the price of prescription mediation and to improve our election system. I plan to continue working in these areas. As Vice Chair of the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee, I look forward to introducing legislation to protect our air, soil and water, and as a teacher and a member of the Education Committee, I plan to introduce a bill to support underfunded school districts.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I am inspired by the political philosophy of John Rawls. I like his idea that justice isn't just a set of consequences for our actions, but a system where everyone can thrive. He writes that to design such a system, we have to imagine we could be born into any place in our society. We could be born to a poor family or a rich one; we could be born any race, gender or sexuality; we could be born with any talents or disabilities. Knowing that we could start out anywhere, what kind of a society would we wish for? I know I would want a society with a strong social safety net, good schools for every student, and an economic system that allows anyone to succeed.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the Challenger space shuttle exploding on takeoff. I was in second grade. We were all excited for the launch because there was a teacher on board.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Yes, absolutely. No legislator can get anything passed on their own. Every bill has a team behind it. I have worked hard to build relationships, including those across the aisle. My primary bill in 2021 was co-chief-sponsored with a Republican colleague.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

I currently serve on the House Education Committee, the House Economic Development and Small Business Committee, the Ways and Means Subcommittee for General Government and I am vice chair for the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee. I enjoy all these committees because they are interest areas of mine, particularly Education, because it is my career, Environment, because it is such a pressing issue for our future, and Economic Development because it provides jobs.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I was canvassing and I knocked on a door and got into a conversation with the person living there. She told me about how she had previously been homeless. Because ending homelessness is such an important issue to me, I asked what had been the most important thing that helped her get off the streets. She talked about her case worker, and how having one person who believed in her and would move mountains to help her succeed was what helped her the most. I want to make sure someone like that is available to anyone who needs help.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a high school teacher at Reynolds High School and a City Councilor for Troutdale. I have been teaching for 14 years in local schools, including Gresham High School, Corbett High School and Mount Hood Community College.

I am passionate about investing in our kids and protecting our future. I want to work for all Oregonians to promote equity and community, and to make the system fairer and more effective. I'm running for Oregon State Representative for District 49 to join our other legislators in supporting education, civil rights, environmental protection and smart government.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We need to ensure continued support of public education from pre-K to post-high school, including investing in technical and career training.We need to take bold action to help curb global climate change.We need to work to ensure civil rights for all Oregonians and work to end discrimination in education, law enforcement, housing, health care, and all other areas.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about many other policy areas, including supporting working families, immigrants and refugees, campaign finance reform, and a woman's right to choose. Please see more at https://electzachhudson.com/issues.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I particularly like the approach the John Rawls takes toward justice and how to organize society. If we were to design a society without knowing how and where we would be born into it - without knowing beforehand what race, gender, socioeconomic class or ability we would have at birth - we would naturally want a society that ensured basic dignity and equal opportunity for all, and that if there were inequalities in our society, that they would be used to the advantage of the least advantaged among us.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have endeavored all my life to act with integrity, to serve my community, and to weigh decisions carefully. I would bring passion, creativity and dedication to this office.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A legislator has a responsibility to understand the issues deeply and consider all sides of a bill, and all the people who would be affected by it. Sound judgement and independent thought are essential.

What is your favorite book? Why?

There are too many books in the world to have a favorite. My favorite fiction authors include Kurt Vonnegut, Barbara Kingsolver and Neil Gaiman.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

It's not a requirement, but it is certainly a benefit. I have learned a lot as a city councilor and budget committee member, both about how local government works and to work effectively with others in political decision-making.