demobrats

This week Representative Sarah Finger McDonald joins us all the way from Corvallis to talk about how she got her start in politics--and trust us--its not what you think. We know you'll come to love her as much as we do! Now, onto actionable items:

TAKE THE OPPOSITION RESEARCH SURVEY AND LET THEM KNOW YOU VALUE CHERRIOTS AND PUBLIC TRANSIT

SIGN UP FOR WORKING FAMILIES PARTY CAMPAIGN SCHOOL

Weekend FREE Events:

Friday Sept 19, Stefani Gallery Downtown Salem, 5 PM, Jesus Escobar Art Show

Saturday September 20, PRIDE in the Park, 11 AM - 6 PM, Riverfront Park

Sunday September 21, LUS Urban Arts Festival, 3-8 PM, Riverfront Park

JOIN VIRGINIA'S CAMPAIGN FOR STATE SENATE

⁠DONATE TO THE CAMPAIGN - EARLY MONEY IS SO POWERFUL⁠

⁠SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER, GET A YARD SIGN, OR ENDORSE VIRGINIA⁠

VISIT THE CAMPAIGN WEBSITE

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The rumors are true! Virginia is running for Senate District 11 (Salem, Keizer, Woodburn, Gervais). Hear a little bit about her campaign priorities and how to get involved. We need your help to make this campaign a success! We believe in the strength of our community. We know that together, we can build a future of opportunity for all of us. Para todos.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN

DONATE TO THE CAMPAIGN - EARLY MONEY IS SO POWERFUL

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER, GET A YARD SIGN, OR ENDORSE VIRGINIA

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email us: [email protected]

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Representative Lesly Muñoz is back to speak with us about all the impacts on residents in her district from federal immigration policies as well as the Marion County Commissioners lawsuit concerning Oregon's sanctuary law. We also discuss upcoming 2026 elections, bikes, and more. You don't want to miss this one!

To read Representative Javadi's Substack, CLICK HERE

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

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Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

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Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

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We've missed y'all! 👯 We're back and we're catching you up on all the things. In our lives, pop culture, Salem happenings, and what's to come this month. And we're serious about that free leaf haul and a downtown grocery store. Please contact your city councilors here.

Las Jarochitas - 3282 Silverton Rd NE

Locals Donuts - Check instagram for locations

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

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Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

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More than a handshake was offered when a legal agreement was made by multiple parties to expand transit service in Salem seven years ago--or so we thought. Sara Duncan and Maria Hinojos Pressey join us from Salem's Mass Transit District Board of Directors (Cherriots) to explain what all the brouhaha in the news was about our local business community making an investment in our transit system. Transportation is freedom and Salem's residents are demanding an expanded service network. If we want to have the thriving, bustling city we all dream of, then yes, even the business community is going to have to make the same kind of financial investments homeowners have made (But hey...that' just our opinion).

Read the Salem Reporter's coverage of this here.

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

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Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton / TellYourFriendsV

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

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Virginia and Vik are on a break for the month, but sometimes the show must go on. On this very special episode, Chris Hoy (your favorite mayor ever) joins Jimmy Jones, Executive Director of Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action to discuss all the latest happenings around our unhoused crisis locally and beyond. One thing about Jimmy is he knows his stuff! Jimmy knows ALLLLLL about the homeless crisis nationwide and how we got here. And Jimmy doesn't like the language our mayor, city council, commissioners, and business leaders are using to talk about our unhoused neighbors. Truly, nobody here at Demobrats likes the way our neighbors are being talked about or treated. Furthermore, being homeless is not a crime and locking people up or making people go away for being homeless is not going to solve the very critical crisis our society is facing. We have before us a very moral and ethical dilemma and we need to do the right and humane thing. Homelessness is still everyones problem to solve. We think we should trust the data and use a housing-first model which CLEARLY works.

Tell the Salem City Council Housing First Works.

We cannot simply LOVE PEOPLE UP....whatever that means. Anyway, enjoy the episode.

References / Continuing Education:

Cicero Institute Propaganda

NPR Feature about Cisero Institute: Amid record homelessness, a Texas think tank tries to upend how states tackle it

Cicero Institute: The Shadow Lobby Fueling Mass Incarceration of Homeless People

The History of Oregon Poor Farms OPB Documentary

Mayor Julie Hoy Wants More Police Downtown After Stabbing at Union Gospel Mission

Homeless advocates say mayor’s rhetoric during council meeting was “inflammatory”

Oregon’s new statewide shelter system has 4,800 beds; here’s a map

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton / TellYourFriendsV

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

This podcast was recorded July 15. Some details may have changed since.

Our friend Zack Surmacz is back to give us an end of session legislative update on bills that got passed. But first, we're all over the place in three things. And just for kicks and giggles, we continue to try to help people understand that our tax system has two legs on it's stool and needs a third leg. Don't worry, we made you a little jingle to explain this and how we can get there in a fair way.

Please support our friends at Gursha Eats - their young daughter was just recently diagnosed with geoblastoma. In lieu of donations, they have requested the community support them by eating at their restaurant. It is delicious, authentic Ethiopian food and we are so fortunate to have them in our community! Find them at 2138 Lancaster Dr NE, Salem, OR 97305, USA.

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton / TellYourFriendsV

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

This podcast was recorded July 11. Some details may have changed since. A special legislative session has been scheduled for August 29th.

In this very special episode, Virginia gives us the rundown on the history of ODOT. If you know V, you know this is her favorite subject. But first, we give you a little update on the Keizer never ending saga. We also help you understand the transportation package as it last existed in the long legislative session. We look forward to the legislature getting back to work to pass a transportation package.

The governor released her transportation package July 23rd. Read more about it here: https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/07/23/koteks-transportation-plan-6-cent-gas-tax-increase-registration-fee-hikes-and-doubled-transit-tax/

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

BUY MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://demobrats.printify.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton / TellYourFriendsV

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

RJ Navarro, local veteran and public transportation champion joins Virginia to discuss the challenges veterans are facing in Oregon today. They also discuss what it was like to run for office in Keizer and Salem. Fun fact: they both ran against Kevin Mannix. If you're unaware, Kevin Mannix has some problematic history with a certain veterans organization that is no longer in existence. If you're unaware, two prominent local Republican figures, Tim Knopp and Gregory Warnock, co-founded a veterans organization that was investigated by the Oregon Department of Justice. This organization once honored Kevin Mannix. Kevin Mannix was allegedly involved with this organization and the Department of Justice pursued him in their investigation of this charity. We'd show you their website, but its since been taken down. If you want to learn more about this incident that goes back to 2011, here you go:

https://www.doj.state.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/owva_complaint_021511.pdf

https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/lawsuit-accuses-charities-and-founder-of-illegally-diverting-money-raised-to-benefit-veterans/

https://www.oregonlive.com/oregonatwar/2013/01/state_goes_to_court_to_seek_co.html

https://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-29699-oregon-department-of-justice-closing-in-on-mannix.html

https://www.oregonlive.com/mapes/2015/07/attorney_general_accuses_kevin.html

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/oregon-justice-department-files-bar-complaint-against-kevin-mannix/

If you want to elevate the voices of vets. Check out https://votevets.org/

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

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Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

This week on the pod, State Representative for HD 22 (Woodburn) and Labor Champion, Lesly Muñoz joins us to talk about her run for office (it was a close one) and her first session as a State Representative. Lesly is a fighter, a local legend, and one of our favorite humans. We are so excited to share her with all of you!

Get out there and stay loud.

If you have questions, topics you'd love discussed, or want to advertise on the pod, contact us:

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Tiktok: VirginiaStapleton / TellYourFriendsV

Bluesky: Demobrats

Instagram:VoteVirginiaStapleton // Tellyourfriendsoregon

Facebook: Elect Virginia Stapleton

email us: [email protected]

Join us Mondays at 8 AM for Willamette Wake-Up on KMUZ Radio! 100.7 FM / 88.5 FM

Stream demobrats on Youtube on the CC Media Channel

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!