The Bad

D-TROUTDALE

OVERALL RATING

6.01

7.14 INTEGRITY

5.76 BRAINS

5.14 EFFECTIVENESS

A special education teacher at Reynolds High School, Hudson, 43, is one of the leading advocates for changing the way Oregon votes—but rather than the ranked-choice voting lawmakers referred to the ballot, he’s an advocate for STAR voting, a more obscure variation. To some respondents, that captures Hudson’s quirkiness. “He’s just a goodhearted, weird dude,” says a progressive lobbyist. “Nice guy, but five-minute meetings feel like a whole hour,” says a public sector lobbyist. Hudson put in a lot of work on Senate Bill 819, which would require schools to provide more and better instruction to students with disabilities.

One of the Capitol’s longest-serving lobbyists has run out of patience with the second-termer. “A terrible legislator,” the lobbyist says. “Just a complete dolt and robot; thank god he has decent staff to prop him up.”

Rep. Mark Gamba

Overall Rating

5.78

6.7 INTEGRITY

5.86 BRAINS

4.78 EFFECTIVENESS

A former professional photographer, Gamba, 64, turned to politics later in life, winning election to the Milwaukie City Council in 2012 and moving up to mayor in 2015. He mounted an unsuccessful 2020 primary challenge to former U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) before winning this seat, formerly held by Rep. Karin Power. Observers noted he struggled being one of 60 members rather than mayor. “He’s got a lot of thoughts about a lot of things, and he really wants to share them with you,” says a Democratic lobbyist.

Gamba, who served as vice chair of the Committee on Housing and Homelessness, staked out a position on the left of his caucus and pushed for a smaller I-5 bridge and aggressive divestment of fossil fuel holdings by state pension funds. “Brought big ideas that went nowhere—needs to recognize what’s doable and what’s not,” says a progressive lobbyist. One idea still alive: a bill creating a task force to study a state bank.

Rep. Farrah Chaichi

D-BEAVERTON

OVERALL RATING

5.76

7.59 INTEGRITY

5.55 BRAINS

4.15 EFFECTIVENESS

Chaichi, 37, who works at a Portland law firm, struggled in her first session. She served as co-chair of the House Committee on Gambling Regulation. She also sponsored the controversial Oregon Right to Rest Act, which would grant people who are homeless equal access to public spaces. It generated a lot of ink but went nowhere. “Chaichi is the legislative equivalent of a toddler,” says a longtime Capitol veteran. “Lucky for Oregon she appears to be about as skilled at passing legislation as a 2-year-old would be.”

GOP lawmakers might decorate their offices with a photo of Ronald Reagan; Democrats, John F. Kennedy. Chaichi has a photo of Karl Marx in hers. “Likes to present policy ideas that are best reserved for a theoretical dissertation that only Marx would appreciate,” says a business lobbyist. “Totally ineffective, unrealistic and impracticable.”