In a county that became a battleground between the Trump administration’s deportation machine and Oregon’s immigrant communities — and could become a frontline in the fight over agricultural land in the Silicon Forest — two commissioners vie for the chance to lead the county forward.

Two familiar elected officials, commissioners Nafisa Fai and Pam Treece, are running for chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners in the upcoming May 19 primary election.

They’re joined by Jenny Kamprath, who positions herself as a political outsider challenging two establishment politicians.

With three candidates, the race stands a fair shot of heading to a run-off in November. That will happen if no single candidate earns a simple majority of the vote in May.

Fai made history in 2020 when she became the first Black and first Muslim commissioner elected to the board. She was reelected in 2024. Treece was first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022.

If Fai wins, she would need to resign from her current seat as commissioner for District 1, creating a vacancy for the remaining two years of her term.

Treece’s term leading District 2 expires at the end of this year; she either wins and takes over the chair’s office or leaves the commission.

Both commissioners boast several notable endorsements.

The Washington County Democratic Party, several local unions and former Gov. John Kitzhaber are backing Fai, while Treece has the support of the Washington County Police Officers Association, local chambers of commerce, as well as current county commissioners Jason Snider and Jerry Wiley.

Chair Kathryn Harrington, who decided to retire rather than seek a third term, is also backing Treece.

The county chair position is technically nonpartisan, but Fai and Treece are both Democrats, with Fai the more progressive of the two. Kamprath is a delegate and fundraising chair for the Washington County Republican Party.

Backers for Kamprath include former longtime county commissioner Andy Duyck and North Plains Mayor Aaron Dumbrow, as well as the county GOP.

Since the start of the year, Treece’s campaign has raised over $150,000, including a $20,000 donation from Nike co-founder Phil Knight.

Nike is one of Washington County’s — and Oregon’s— biggest employers. She also received $25,000 from the Local 48 Electricians PAC.

Fai has raised about $127,000 since January, according to campaign finance records from the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office. Her biggest donations were $10,000 from SEIU Local 49 COPE Fund and $15,000 from Oregon AFSCME Council 75.

Kamprath has raised a comparatively meager $12,000, though she has only reported donations since March. She had also raised funds in 2024 when she ran unsuccessfully against Fai for District 1.

Kamprath did not respond to questions from OPB sent to each candidate, but in campaign materials, she has promised to prioritize public safety, cut spending, support small business and streamline permitting to encourage housing construction.

“As chair, I will initiate an audit to bring transparency and accountability to spending,” Kamprath wrote in her voter’s pamphlet statement. “I will push to eliminate waste, cut bloated bureaucracy, and slash red tape and fees that drive up housing costs, burden local businesses and slow economic growth and livability for all.”

Immigration, growth, collaboration

Fai and Treece have voiced opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and its campaign against DEI policies.

However, they’ve differed in how they approach such issues, with Fai urging more action.

“When immigration enforcement activity escalated, I called for a state of emergency, pushed to reaffirm Oregon’s sanctuary laws, and secured immediate support for impacted families,” Fai said in response to questions from OPB.

As a refugee who immigrated to the U.S. 30 years ago, she added that the issue is deeply personal to her. She said the county should continue to uphold Oregon’s sanctuary law and partner with trusted community organizations to provide legal aid, know-your-rights trainings and emergency assistance to families in crisis.

Treece called the ICE surge in Washington County last fall “horrific.”

She said she was proud that the county declared a state of emergency and provided emergency funds to immigrant communities. She also noted the power of local officials in the face of the federal government is “unfortunately limited.”

“As Chair, I will seek out additional actions to oppose these immigration activities and show strong support for our immigrant neighbors, and I will continue to use my voice and platform to aggressively oppose this activity,” Treece said in response to questions from OPB.

Both Treece and Fai said careful attention and planning will be necessary to strike the right balance between protecting Washington County’s agricultural lands and allowing growth to ensure the county remains one of the state’s economic engines.

Fai said the county has not quite figured out that balance.

“Washington County is home to some of the world’s best soils and a strong agricultural economy, and that must remain protected,” Fai said. “At the same time, we are also home to world-class companies that drive innovation and opportunity. The path forward is not choosing one over the other; it’s being more intentional about how we support both.”

Treece said the careful planning necessary to strike the right balance will require working closely with city partners and Metro, which controls the region’s urban growth boundary.

With endorsements from several county mayors and two Metro councilors, Treece said she believes she can use her relationships with these partners to find the right balance.

The election of a new commission chair will give Washington County the chance to improve relationships between leadership and staff.

Harrington, the outgoing chair, came under fire four years ago and again this year for belittling and bullying county staff, even causing some staffers to break down in tears, according to the Oregonian.

Treece said as chair, she would commit to improving collegiality between staff, commissioners and the community.

“Throughout my career as a public school teacher, workforce development officer, leader of a regional economic development association, and today as a County Commissioner, I have approached the work with a commitment to dignity and respect for everyone,” she wrote.

Fai said she would work to establish trust with staff, other commissioners and the public from the start.

She also emphasized ensuring every commissioner and employee is treated with respect and dignity, and creating opportunities for feedback.

“I believe disagreement is part of the job, but it should never become personal or prevent the county from moving forward,” Fai said.

Read the candidates’ complete answers to OPB’s questions here:

Treece

Fai

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/07/growth-immigration-key-factors-in-race-for-washington-county-chair/