Andrea Carr is not your typical politician. A former rodeo queen, barrel racer, and union member with SEIU 503, Carr is running as a “very progressive Republican” for Oregon’s Congressional District 2.
With a background that includes working on fishing boats in the Bering Sea and serving as a personal support worker, Carr says she has “dirt under my fingernails” and a deep connection to the working class.
Her campaign was sparked by a personal crisis: the impact of Medicaid cuts on her neurodivergent daughter, Anisha. This led Carr to confront legislators in Washington D.C., where she famously chased a senator down the halls to warn him that “people are going to die because of these cuts.” Now, she is challenging incumbent Cliff Bentz, arguing that he is “out of touch” with the needs of rural Oregonians.
Carr’s platform focuses heavily on prioritizing rural infrastructure over foreign conflict. She vehemently opposes the war in Iran, labeling it an “illegal war” and criticizing the redirection of federal funds away from rural hospitals and universities.
“The money's going the wrong direction,” Carr said, pointing to the struggle of local institutions like St. Charles Madras and Southern Oregon University.
She also doesn't shy away from criticizing her own party's leadership. Carr expressed disgust at President Trump’s recent rhetoric and social media presence, stating, “There is nothing about him that is redeeming.”
Drawing on her family’s history in the 1850s free soil movement, Carr believes the Republican party has lost its way. As the May 19 primary approaches, her message remains focused on radical change: “We need to be focused on partnership, not partisanship; and get rid of this tyranny.”
Guest
- Andrea Carr, Republican candidate for Oregon's congressional district 2
