Peter DeFazio. Photo by Todd Cooper.

Best Politician

1. Peter DeFazio Representative, U.S. Congress.

2. Kate Brown Oregon governor.

3. Isiah Wagoner former Eugene mayoral write-in candidate.

It would be difficult to imagine Oregon’s 4th Congressional District without Peter DeFazio in office, so it should really be no surprise that he overwhelmingly takes the crown for best politician this year. After more than 30 years as a congressman, DeFazio has become a staple of the community. And he’s gone through some interesting, yet challenging, races to get there. 

Aside from being a familiar face, DeFazio is now the chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in Congress, meaning he has the power to create meaningful legislation on climate change (something we desperately need). Throughout the pandemic he’s pushed for stimulus packages. And he has worked hard on orchestrating recovery for the Oregon wildfires. So we’re glad he will be our rep for another two years. 

It’s also worth mentioning that Gov. Kate Brown won second place in this category. Perhaps voters approve her response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as brokering a deal between timber companies and environmental groups earlier this year. 

Eugene write-in mayoral candidate and Black Lives Matter activist Isiah Wagoner placed third this year. Wagoner’s push for change in Eugene and turn to politics will hopefully inspire the city to take action when it comes to racial injustice and fair policing.