FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2025

COURTNEY BANGS LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR OREGON SENATE DISTRICT 16

Endorsed by GOP Sen. Suzanne Weber at Warrenton 4th of July Parade

ASTORIA, OR — Clatsop County Commissioner Vice-Chair and 25-year educator Courtney Bangs officially launched her campaign for Oregon Senate District 16 over the weekend with Senator Suzanne Weber at the Warrenton 4th of July Parade. Commissioner Bangs will seek the Republican nomination in the May 2026 primary.

"I have experienced and understood the challenges facing rural Northwest Oregon families as a local mom and educator, as well as from my time serving on the Clatsop County Commission,” said Bangs. “We don’t have access to enough affordable housing or childcare, our roads and telecom infrastructure are inadequate for our needs, and we rarely see investments come from the Portland politicians, despite paying more and more in taxes and fees every year. Every legislative session we stand at risk that the Legislature will increase taxes and shut down more of our natural resource jobs. I am running for the state senate to stand in the breach and protect our communities.”

Bangs was first elected to the Clatsop County Commission in 2020, defeating an incumbent Democrat and helping flip the commission to a common sense conservative majority. As Commissioner, she has been a champion for working forests, infrastructure improvements, and fiscal responsibility.

Senator Suzanne Weber, who currently holds the Senate District 16 seat, has given Bangs her full endorsement:

"Courtney Bangs is exactly the kind of leader we need in the Oregon Senate. Her experience as a county commissioner, her dedication to our rural communities, and her proven track record of common sense governance make her the clear and only choice for Senate District 16 in the Republican primary and November election of next year. No one is a fiercer advocate for the people she works to protect than Commissioner Bangs. I cannot wait to see how she shakes things up in Salem.”

Bangs brings a wealth of experience to her Senate campaign. She is an Academic Director and Teacher at Encore Academy in Warrenton, with over 25 years of experience in education. She is a mother of three and her husband, Derek, works for the Oregon Department of Forestry. Bangs has deep roots in the community, having lived in the area for 17 years.

"My priority has always been to listen to the people I represent and to be their voice," Bangs added. "In the Senate, I will build on the steadfast and bold leadership of Senator Weber, who has been a champion for our rural way of life in Northwest Oregon. Like her, I will always fight to protect parental rights in education, support our natural resource industries, and push back against government overreach."

Senate District 16 includes Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook counties, as well as parts of western Multnomah and Washington counties and a sliver of Yamhill county.

To volunteer or donate, visit www.courtneybangs.com

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