Election 2024: Q&A with state representative candidate John Lively, who faces Ryan Rhoads

This is part of a series of stories on the candidates running in the May 21 primary election, with question-and-answer articles scheduled to be published each day through the rest of April. Ballots must be mailed to voters by May 1.

Newcomer Ryan Rhoads faces off against incumbent state Rep. John Lively in the May 21 Democratic primary for Oregon District 7, which covers Springfield.

Lively, 77, grew up in Wallowa but moved to Springfield in 1963. He graduated from Thurston High, then earned degrees from Lane Community College and the University of Oregon. Lively served on the Springfield City Council and as Springfield's mayor, and he joined the Oregon Legislature in 2013. His professional background ranges from private sector to retail to nonprofits, having worked in heavy equipment manufacturing, economic development, software support centers and consulting for landscape architecture and land use planning.

Rhoads has not run for any public office previously. He listed his current occupation as a laborer for FOOD For Lane County's Grassroots Garden. Rhoads attended Network Charter School before earning his GED from the Early College and Career Options school in Eugene School District 4J. He also earned a building construction technology certificate from the Home Builders Institute at Tongue Point Job Corps.

Whoever wins the Democratic primaries for District 7 will run against Republican candidate Corey Burket.

The primary election is Tuesday, May 21, 2024. The deadline to register to vote in this election is Tuesday, April 30. To vote in the Democratic primaries for District 7, residents must be registered as Democrats.

To register to vote, check your registration status or track your ballot, visit sos.oregon.gov/voting-elections/Pages/default.aspx.

The Register-Guard asked each of the candidates a series of questions and asked them for biographical information.

Rhoads did not respond to the Register-Guard's questionnaire. These are Lively's responses, which were received via email.

Questions

Why are you running for Oregon state representative of District 7?

Lively: I believe my years of experience both at the local level and at the state level provide me a unique understanding of the needs of my constituents and the opportunities to address.

What are your three top issues in your campaign platform?

Lively: I do not have a campaign platform as such, but three top issues for the next session include addressing the major need for increasing funding for our transportation system, better defining and funding outcomes for K-12 education, and continuing to invest in behavioral health services and facilities.

What's something about you that you'd like voters to know?

Lively: Public service is something I have believed in and participated in my whole live, whether I have received pay for my service or not.

Are there any specific policies or strategies you support or want to develop to incentivize affordable housing development or assist low-income renters and homeowners?

Lively: I think the recent actions taken by the legislature to make more funds available to support renters, funds to help communities with infrastructure needed to support more housing being built, and investments in programs which provide incentives to builders willing to build more affordable housing is the best approach and needs to be continued.

How are you hoping to impact mental health and health care services at the state level, especially in regards to access and affordability with growing concern over the number of local caregivers?

Lively: This shortage of workers is a national problem not just one found in Oregon. Ensuring our regulatory systems that monitor these areas are working as quickly as they can, supporting more opportunities for training and putting in place agreements with other states that allow workers who want to move here quick access to working in the field of their credentials.

How does your decade of experience in Legislature prepare you for this primary race? What are some issues at the state and local levels that you've affected in the last two years that you are most proud of?

Lively: Success in the legislature comes from understanding how the process works, building relationships with colleagues on both sides of the aisle and being well aware of the needs of your community. One legislator can not accomplish anything without the support of the others and of local leaders who are most aware of local challenges. I think my decade of service has shown how this works in the area of transportation planning, housing affordability support, and infrastructure financial support for Springfield.

Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Election: Lively, Rhoads vie in race for Oregon Legislature