2026 Endorsed Candidates

I grew up in Portland and attended public schools; college was on the East Coast, and I later received a graduate degree from the Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.  I have family roots east of the mountains, and many of my most formative experiences were had in the sagebrush and ponderosa forests, hunting, fishing and exploring all the nooks and crannies of the high desert.  After college I landed back home and began a career that focused on public interest work and public service.  This included:

• Rural policy advisor at the USDA for the Obama Administration for six years; Elected to the Oregon House of Representatives (three terms); Oregon Senate as staff to Senate President John Kitzhaber; Committee staff for the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee; Transportation policy advisor for City of Portland; Land conservation negotiator at the Trust for Public Land, a national non-profit organization devoted to conserving land for public benefit. 

• Other stints:  statewide elections reform initiative; helping plan the rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina; and consulting with the Hatfield School of Government to secure post-graduate public interest fellowships for graduate students. More recently, I have been a volunteer international elections observer for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. 

For the CD-2 Congressional campaign, my issue priorities will be:

• Stabilizing rural hospitals and overall health access.

• Addressing Affordable housing  by building more housing, especially in Main Street districts.

• Seeking federal support for enhancing success of Oregon's unique land use system which protects farm and forest land for long term production.

• Establishing Universal Vote by Mail across the country.

When Hank was 7, a company tried to run a gas pipeline through Gaston, Oregon, the rural farm town where he grew up. The company failed, but Hank learned that some forces can profit from destroying rural Oregon. So Hank fought these forces as a journalist in Oregon and for the Chicago Tribune and The New York Times. He exposed corrupt businesses, politicians, and the Trump Administration.

But Hank missed rural Oregon. So he moved back home and now he is a community organizer in the Gorge and works in the Oregon State Senate. Hank is running because the Gorge is the best place in the world. But it is also unaffordable. That’s why Hank will create a Home Hardening Task Force, tax credits for child care workers, and an Agency of Medicaid Paperwork. Because housing, childcare, and healthcare should be affordable, not a luxury. 

I’m running for State Senate District 26 because the policies shaping our economy, our land, and our communities were built for a different time—and they’re not working for us anymore.

My career has focused on how business impacts people and the environment. I started at Patagonia, working across supply chains from raw materials to factory floors. At prAna, I led the launch of Fair Trade Certified apparel in the U.S., the first of its kind in the industry.

In 2015, I co-founded The Renewal Workshop in Cascade Locks, building a factory that repaired and renewed unsold products—creating local jobs and reducing waste. The company was acquired in 2022.

Today, I help companies rethink how they operate—designing better products, training people, and getting more value from what they already have.

I know how to fix what isn’t working. I’ve done it my whole career, and I’m ready to do it for our district.

Lisa Gambee brings a rare mix of public‑sector know‑how and private‑sector strategy. As Wasco County Clerk, she modernized critical systems, helped craft the county’s first culture guide, and worked directly with every community in the county - building trusted relationships that give her a clear, ground‑level understanding of local needs.

Before public service, Lisa built a career in brand strategy and entrepreneurship, sharpening her ability to communicate with clarity, think creatively, and lead teams toward meaningful results.

With her record of collaboration, strategic planning, and countywide relationship‑building, Lisa is ready to serve as Wasco County Commissioner with insight, fairness, and a steady hand.