Sonya Fischer, left, and Ben West, candidates for a seat on the board of commissioners in the May 2026 primary election.
Courtesy of the candidates
A heated rematch for a seat on the board of commissioners is brewing in Clackamas County, where incumbent Ben West seeks to fend off Sonya Fischer, the commissioner he narrowly ousted four years ago.
Both candidates have attracted high-profile endorsements and say they want to prioritize affordability and public safety. But the pair diverge on a few key issues, including the county’s response to federal immigration enforcement.
When the two last faced off in the November 2022 run-off election, West defeated Fischer, then the incumbent, by 1%.
The race could go to a November run-off once again if neither candidate reaches a simple majority in the May 19 primary election.
In the lead-up to May, West, an OHSU nurse and former Wilsonville city councilor, has touted the county’s plans to open a recovery campus next year to help people fighting substance use disorder and transitioning out of homelessness. Fischer, a family lawyer who served on the commission from 2017 to 2022, has promised to restore “integrity, leadership and affordability in Clackamas County.”
It’s a nonpartisan race, but the two main candidates are registered in opposite parties and in many ways stake out positions consistent with those affiliations. West is a Republican who frequently takes to social media to criticize Portland-areas liberals and the city’s approach to the homelessness crisis. Fischer, a Democrat, has blamed the Trump administration for rising prices and criticized its “aggressive” approach to immigration enforcement.
Despite his party affiliation with the GOP, West has boasted endorsements from across the aisle, including fellow county commissioner Martha Schrader and progressive Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai. He also has backing from 2022 gubernatorial candidates Christine Drazan, a Republican, and Betsy Johnson, a Democrat-turned-independent.
Fischer’s high-profile supporters include half of Oregon’s congressional delegation — Reps. Janelle Bynum, Andrea Salinas and Maxine Dexter and Sen. Jeff Merkley — all Democrats.
Backing from local law enforcement is split, though West seems to have a slight edge with endorsements from the Clackamas County Peace Officers Association and District Attorney John Wentworth. Sheriff Angela Brandenburg has endorsed Fischer.
CCPOA, the union for sworn officers of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and several local police departments in the county, also gave West’s campaign $30,000, the most the campaign has gotten from any single source this year. West’s next-biggest contribution was $25,000 from Hoffman Construction executive Dan Harmon. In total, West’s campaign has raised about $180,000 since launching in September. Fischer has raised about $80,000.
Affordability, public safety
In campaign materials, both West and Fischer have promised to help lower costs for Clackamas County residents. In response to questions from OPB, both candidates said they would oppose any proposed tolling and gas taxes.
Fischer said she would also “address out-of-control utility bills by exploring public/private partnerships to expand renewable energy sources.”
West promised to “prioritize core services, cut waste, and reject tax hikes to hold the line on housing, gas, and daily costs for every family and business here.”
While West promises to reject tax hikes as commissioner, he says it is “essential” that voters pass the public safety levy on the ballot this election to raise property taxes by 16.6 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for Clackamas County landowners. Support of the measure aligns with West’s prioritization of public safety.
Fischer has also promised to prioritize public safety. The candidates’ desire to increase affordability for residents also collides with their goal of improving emergency services in a new contract with ambulance provider AMR.
AMR has historically failed to meet response time goals, yet Clackamas County last year signed a new contract with the company that came with a significant increase in costs to patients.
Fischer called the price increase “ludicrous.”
“My approach to AMR will be the same as my approach to any other service the county contracts out: Renewal of the contract has to be tied to metrics and proven results,” she said.
West said the county has taken steps to hold AMR accountable and the ambulance provider is now “consistently meeting response time goals.”
AMR gave $5,000 each to West’s campaign and those of Paul Savas and Diana Helm, the two other incumbents seeking reelection this May. In past elections, the ambulance provider gave to Fischer.
While both West and Fischer made public safety a key part of their platform, their views on law enforcement diverge when it comes to immigration enforcement.
Clackamas County did not see the same large surge in immigration agents last year as Washington, Multnomah and Marion counties. Clackamas had around 60 arrests between July and December 2025, according to figures from the Portland Immigrants Rights Coalition.
Fischer said she would ensure that local law enforcement would not aid federal immigration enforcement efforts.
“Everyone, whether they were born here or not, deserves to be able to go to work or visit a hospital when they are sick,” she said. “They should feel safe reporting to law enforcement when they are a victim or witness to a crime.”
West was more willing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, saying local law enforcement has a “duty to share basic information” when holding “someone who is here illegally.”
“This allows balanced, common-sense cooperation among local, state, and federal law enforcement so federal agents can take custody at the jail door rather than hunting these individuals on our streets later,” he said.
Read the candidates’ complete answers to OPB’s questions here:
