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Maxine Dexter

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Maxine Dexter
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
from the 33rd district
In office
June 14, 2020 – August 30, 2024
Preceded byMitch Greenlick
Succeeded byShannon Jones Isadore
Personal details
Born
Maxine Elizabeth Johnson

(1972-12-05) December 5, 1972 (age 51)
Bothell, Washington, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Washington (BA, MD)

Maxine Elizabeth Dexter (née Johnson, born December 5, 1972) is an American physician and politician who served as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2020 to 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, she was appointed in June 2020 after the death of Mitch Greenlick. She formerly represented the 33rd district, which covers the Northwest District and Northwest Heights of Portland, as well as Cedar Mill, Oak Hills, and most of Bethany.

Dexter is currently the Democratic nominee for Oregon's 3rd congressional district in the 2024 election.[1] Since this is a safe Democratic district covering eastern Portland as well as all of Hood River County and parts of Clackamas County, she is expected to win the election.[2]

Early life and education

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Dexter grew up in Bothell, Washington and graduated from Inglemoor High School. She received her bachelor's degree in political science and communication from the University of Washington, and her MD from that university's School of Medicine.[3]

Medical career

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Dexter served her medical residency in Aurora, Colorado, and moved to Portland with her husband in 2008. She works as a pulmonologist with Kaiser Permanente in Hillsboro.[4] In 2023, it was reported that she would continue to work part-time at Kaiser Permanente as a pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist during her congressional run.[5]

Oregon House of Representatives

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Dexter ran to succeed Mitch Greenlick as representative for the 33rd district in the Oregon House of Representatives in the 2020 election. Dexter said she was inspired to run for office following the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearing, during which Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault, which he forcefully denied.[6]

She won the Democratic primary to succeed Greenlick on May 17, 2020, with 40% of the vote, defeating three other candidates, including Christina Stephenson.[7] Greenlick died on May 15, so Dexter was appointed to finish out his term a month later.[8] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dexter treated patients with the disease, and wrote a letter urging Oregon Governor Kate Brown to close Oregon schools in April 2020.[9] She was reelected in the 2022 election. On July 31, 2024, Dexter announced she would resign from the legislature to focus on her campaign for Congress, effective August 30.[10]

Tenure

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As a representative, Dexter introduced a bill expanding access to the opioid antidote medication naloxone, allowing first responders to distribute the drug to members of the general public, and decriminalizing fentanyl test strips.[11] The bill was signed into law on August 8.[12]

In 2023, Dexter served as chair of the House Housing and Homelessness Committee in the legislature. She was credited with helping to pass a $200 million spending bill on housing and homelessness issues.[5]

2024 congressional candidacy

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On December 5, 2023, Dexter announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Oregon's 3rd congressional district to succeed retiring Representative Earl Blumenauer.[1] Dexter stated in an interview that she planned to run for Congress since she was 20.[5]

In the primary, she faced opposition from former Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal and Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales. She was the top recipient of independent expenditure spending in the primary, with 314 Action spending about $2.2 million in total on independent expenditures in support of her campaign.[13][14] She received endorsements from politicians including Dan Rayfield, who served as speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2022 to 2024.[15] She was also endorsed by The Oregonian and the Willamette Week.[16]

Dexter ultimately won the Democratic primary. As the congressional district is heavily Democratic, she is expected to win the general election.[17]

Political positions

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Dexter supports the transition to a single-payer health care system. She also supports greater protections for employees, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increased money for public housing, and stricter gun control.[6] Dexter opposes efforts to condition U.S. aid to Israel amid the ongoing Israel–Hamas war but supports a negotiated cease-fire and delivery of humanitarian aid.[16]

Electoral history

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2020 Oregon State Representative, 33rd district [18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maxine E Dexter 33,707 75.6
Republican Dick Courter 10,796 24.2
Write-in 59 0.1
Total votes 44,562 100%
2022 Oregon State Representative, 33rd district [19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maxine E Dexter 26,154 84.8
Republican Stan Baumhofer 4,651 15.1
Write-in 30 0.1
Total votes 30,835 100%
2024 Oregon's 3rd congressional district Democratic primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maxine Dexter 46,689 47.39
Democratic Susheela Jayapal 32,300 32.78
Democratic Eddy Morales 13,162 13.36
Democratic Michael Jonas 2,317 2.35
Democratic Nolan Bylenga 2,099 2.13
Democratic Rachel Lydia Rand 834 0.85
Democratic Ricardo Barajas 624 0.63
Total votes 98,529 100.0

References

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  1. ^ a b Jaquiss, Nigel (December 5, 2023). "State Rep. Maxine Dexter Announces Her Candidacy for Oregon's 3rd Congressional District". Willamette Week. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  2. ^ "Maxine Dexter easily winning race to replace U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer". opb. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "Oregon Secretary Of State". secure.sos.state.or.us. Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  4. ^ "Maxine E. Dexter, MD". Kaiser Permanente. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Shumway, Julia (December 5, 2023). "Oregon state Rep. Maxine Dexter joins race to replace Blumenauer in Congress • Oregon Capital Chronicle". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Wong, Peter (February 13, 2020). "Maxine Dexter seeks open House District 33 seat". Beaverton Valley Times. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  7. ^ Sickinger, Ted (May 19, 2020). "Maxine Dexter wins four-way primary to represent parts of Washington County and Northwest Portland". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  8. ^ "Maxine Dexter sworn in to Oregon House District 33 seat, will serve remainder of Mitch Greenlick's term". Statesman Journal. June 15, 2020. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  9. ^ "WW's May 2020 Endorsements for Oregon Legislature". Willamette Week. April 29, 2020. Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  10. ^ Baumhardt, Alex (July 31, 2024). "Oregon Rep. Maxine Dexter of Portland resigns from state Legislature". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  11. ^ VanderHart, Dirk (March 6, 2023). "An overdose-reversal drug could become far more accessible in Oregon". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  12. ^ Hayden, Nicole (August 8, 2023). "Gov. Kotek signs 6 bills targeting addiction, mental health crises". The Oregonian. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  13. ^ Shumway, Julia (May 22, 2024). "Dexter, Bynum clinch Democratic nods in Oregon congressional primaries • Oregon Capital Chronicle". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  14. ^ "A closer look at Maxine Dexter's primary election win over Susheela Jayapal". KOIN.com. May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  15. ^ VanderHart, Dirk (December 5, 2023). "State Rep. Maxine Dexter joins race to succeed Earl Blumenauer in Congress". OPB. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Susheela Jayapal opponent Maxine Dexter sees influx of support ahead of Oregon primary". Jewish Insider. May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  17. ^ VanderHart, Dirk (May 22, 2024). "Maxine Dexter easily winning race to replace U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  18. ^ "November 3, 2020, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  19. ^ "November 8, 2022, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
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