Politics
Kipperlyn Sinclair Wins Washington County District 4 Commissioner Race as Steve Callaway Concedes
Hillsboro City Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair declared victory in the Washington County District 4 commissioner race after opponent Steve Callaway conceded, with Sinclair leading 50.7% to 48.5%. The win is part of a broader progressive wave in the county fueled by grassroots organizing and opposition to data center tax breaks.
Hillsboro City Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair has won the race for Washington County commissioner in District 4, after her opponent, Steve Callaway, conceded on Wednesday, more than a week after Election Day.
According to vote tallies released Tuesday afternoon, Sinclair led with 50.7% of the vote to Callawayâs 48.5%.
Callaway, in an emailed announcement, congratulated Sinclair and extended best wishes to Commissioner-elect Felicita Monteblanco, the incoming county chair, and Commissioner Jason Snider. He did not name the next chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, likely because the race for that position remains too close to call. Commissioner Nafisa Fai leads fellow Commissioner Pam Treece by just 363 votes, with thousands of ballots still to be counted or potentially subject to challenge.
Sinclair, who was endorsed by the Washington County Democratic Party and ran as the more progressive candidate, thanked supporters in a statement.
âTo the people of Washington County, thank you for putting your trust in me,â Sinclair said. âCommunity, we did this! We ran a small, grassroots campaign powered by neighbors, not big money, and itâs a reminder that Washington County doesnât come with a price tag.â
Sinclair and Fai were part of a broad coalition of progressive candidates seeking local offices across Washington County. In addition to gains on the county commission, the bloc is winning city council races in Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Tigard and Tualatin.
A key issue driving progressive campaigns was opposition to data centers and the tax breaks that tech companies have used to build them in Washington County.
The race was one of the closest in Oregon, and Callawayâs concession ends his campaign. The results remain unofficial until certified.