PORTLAND, Ore. — Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal, who in 2018 became the first Indian-American elected to a commissioner's seat in Oregon, resigned from the Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday.
Jayapal said she plans to run for Congress in Oregon's 3rd Congressional District, currently occupied by Rep. Earl Blumenaeur, who announced Monday that he won't run for re-election in 2024.
In order to run for Congress in 2024, Jayapal had no choice but to resign as a county commissioner, according to the Multnomah County charter, which states that "no elected official of Multnomah County may run for another elective office in midterm without resigning first." The only exception is if a sitting commissioner wants to run for county chair.
In a news release announcing her candidacy for Congress, Jayapal thanked Blumenauer for his leadership representing Oregon over the past few decades. She pointed to his advocacy for the environment, democracy and equal opportunity for all Americans.
"I'm ready to continue that work, as someone with a proven record of accomplishments, passion for service, and the ability to get things done," she said. "And I’ll do it in partnership with our community. I’ll bring my experience as an immigrant, a person of color, a woman, a mom — experience of what it’s like to navigate systems that weren’t created for everyone, and in fact often were created to exclude so many."
Jayapal said she's running for Congress because she believes it needs an "unwavering progressive" voice.
"We're at a pivotal point in our country and in our district," she said. "With the Republican majority beholden to extremist ideologues attacking our democracy and our rights in ways we’ve never seen before, it's more important than ever that we have an unwavering progressive voice in Congress to stand up for our values and bring us together to create the thriving, equitable community we need."
Jesse Beason will serve as interim commissioner, replacing Jayapal in District 2. Beason, who was approved by Jayapal and the board of commissioners, is the president and CEO of Northwest Health Foundation. Jayapal's District 2 staff will continue to serve under Beason.
"I'm honored to continue the great work of Commissioner Jayapal representing North and Northeast Portland," Beason said in a statement. "The work of the county is vital to the health and well-being of our community in so many ways. I look forward to representing the people of District 2 — my home for 20 years — in this capacity. I feel lucky to be retaining Commissioner Jayapal's team so our important work can continue uninterrupted."
At the next board meeting, commissioners will set an election to fill the duration of Jayapal's term, which is scheduled to end Dec. 31, 2026.
"I want to thank Commissioner Jayapal for her five years of service to this County," Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said in a news release. "I strongly believe that we cannot have enough people in Congress who understand at the local level the homelessness, drug and mental health crises we are facing — I trust that whoever is elected to represent our community leads with those issues. Susheela has, and continues to hold, powerful space as a leader, policymaker and advocate for the needs of everyone at Multnomah County, but especially those vulnerable members of the District 2 community and our broader communities. She will be missed, and I wish her well."
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