WOODBURN — Mental-health clinician and longtime Woodburn community leader Noemi Legaspi has entered the race for the Republican nomination in Oregon’s closely watched House District 22, setting up a potential rematch in one of the Legislature’s most competitive seats.
District 22 includes Woodburn, parts of northeast Salem, Gervais, and surrounding Marion County farmland. It stands out as the only Oregon House district where minority residents—nearly 48 percent—compose the majority, and it recorded the state’s lowest voter turnout in 2022, with fewer than half of ballots returned statewide.
Legaspi, a working mom and daughter of Mexican immigrants, emphasized her background in service to families. “As a therapist, I’ve always measured success by how well I can help families overcome the challenges in their lives,” she said. “State politicians clearly don’t have the same focus. For too long, the problems facing Oregonians—rising costs, crime, homelessness, struggling schools—have gone unanswered by our politicians. I’m done waiting for them to do something about it.” She added, “I’ve watched politicians make it harder, whether by underfunding schools or ignoring the youth mental‑health crisis. I’m tired of politics getting in the way of people building better lives.”
State Representative Lesly Muñoz , whose term began in January 2025, narrowly unseated incumbent Republican Tracy Cramer by just 161 votes in the November 2024 general election. The contest wasn’t settled until more than three weeks after Election Day, giving Democrats a supermajority in the House.
Legaspi brings to the campaign nearly seven years on the Woodburn School Board and District Budget Committee. During her tenure, she helped retain School Resource Officers through a community engagement process, reinstated Woodburn High School’s College & Career Center, and negotiated a contract with teachers and staff that avoided layoffs.
In private practice, she operates Anabel’s House Children and Family Services, offering bilingual counseling, and has served as a court‑appointed custody evaluator, early‑learning consultant, youth coach, adjunct instructor, and community liaison.
Her platform centers on early literacy and career readiness, expanded behavioral-health access, restoring local control in schools, parental respect, increasing housing availability without raising taxes, tying homelessness funding to sobriety-focused programs, and strengthening the foster-care system.
Endorsements include a statement from former Representative Tracy Cramer: “Noemi has been Woodburn’s leading advocate for improving public education, and that’s just a fraction of what she’s done for our kids and families. She always puts children first and does it without regard to personal or political cost.” Marion County Sheriff Nick Hunter added: “Marion County deserves leaders who listen, lead with compassion, and produce common‑sense results. Noemi’s commitment, knowledge, and experience have helped her deliver real and necessary change in our communities.”
The 2026 primary is scheduled for May 19, with candidate filing opening September 11, 2025, and deadlines ranging from March 3 to March 10, 2026, depending on whether the candidate is an incumbent.
Why This Race Matters
District 22 is a microcosm of shifting political dynamics in Oregon. With a high Hispanic population and historically low voter engagement, the district reflects broader challenges around representation and turnout. Legaspi’s focus on mental-health, education, and affordability directly targets the priorities of many residents.
Her campaign structurally balances personal narrative and public service. Should she secure the Republican nomination in May 2026, Legaspi will face incumbent Democrat Lesly Muñoz—a rising figure who has already staked her first term on working-family issues and regained a key seat for her party.
