Courtney Neron, a former Tigard High School teacher and the state senator representing Oregon's District 13, is running for a full term in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She faces Republican Glenn Lancaster and Libertarian Tim E. Nelson.
Neron, who runs under both the Working Families Party and Democratic banners, was appointed to the Senate seat on May 9, 2025, after the death of Sen. Aaron Woods. Before that, she served as state representative for House District 26.
According to her campaign website, Neron left the classroom in 2018 to fight for stable school funding, mental health supports and gun safety laws on behalf of her students and colleagues.
Candidate information
- Party: Working Families Party / Democratic
- Residence: Wilsonville
- Education: Bachelor's degree, University of Oregon; master's in teaching, Pacific University
- Occupation before office: French and Spanish teacher at Yamhill-Carlton, Tualatin and Tigard high schools
- Current office: Oregon State Senate, District 13 (appointed May 9, 2025)
- Previous office: Oregon House of Representatives, District 26
Experience and public service
Neron served in the Oregon House of Representatives representing District 26. During her time in the House, she served as vice chair of the House Education Committee and chair of the Natural Resources Ways and Means Committee, according to her campaign website.
On the issues
The following positions are based on Neron's responses on her campaign website and through a candidate questionnaire.
Education: Neron says she is fighting for school facilities funding, lifting the cap on special education, fully funding the High Cost Disability Fund, expanding universal school meals statewide and ensuring more equitable funding for schools in high-poverty communities. She says she has secured funding for smaller K-12 class sizes and mental health supports in schools.
Healthcare: Neron says she supports lowering prescription drug costs, protecting Medicaid and expanding access through mobile and community-based care. She says healthcare should be affordable and accessible to all Oregonians.
Housing: Neron says she supports eviction prevention, housing-first strategies and investments in mental health and addiction treatment. She says she also supports preserving affordable housing for seniors and residents on fixed incomes, and state investments in sewer and water infrastructure so communities can build needed housing.
Environment: Neron says she supports stronger toxin standards, clean energy job training, sustainable transportation and climate resilience. She says she has passed legislation addressing environmental health impacts of toxins and air pollution.
Workers and families: Neron says she supports child care access and affordability, equal pay and policies that value caregiving. She says she continues to fight for teachers to be able to discuss class size at the bargaining table.
Endorsements
Neron has received endorsements from the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon, the Oregon Working Families Party, the Oregon School Employees Association, the Oregon Nurses Association, the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Stand for Children Oregon, the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters, the Humane Society of the United States and the Freethought Equality Fund PAC, according to BallotReady.
Responses are based on public data and answers to a Surround Sound Media questionnaire if they were provided.
