Over the years, Anthony Broadman has worn many hats—City Councilor, tribal rights attorney, small business owner and local dad, to name a few. Now, Broadman hopes to add a new hat to his collection, perhaps the most impressive yet, by running for a position on the Oregon State Senate. As the Democratic candidate for the 27th Senate District, Broadman is running against Republican Michael Summers of Redmond, and promises to continue the legacy of public service that he has established in his work as an attorney and member of Bend’s City Council.
A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Arizona, Broadman has led a successful legal career, providing counsel to tribal governments and more recently serving as Chief Judge of the Warm Springs Court of Appeals. These experiences have contributed to Broadman’s understanding of the justice system and the importance of government accountability.
“A lot of times, the government gets it wrong, and we need to hold ourselves in every type of government—state, local, federal—to the highest standard, because that’s what people deserve,” Broadman explained.
If elected as Senator for the 27th District, Broadman will inherit the legacy of Senator Tim Knopp’s 2023 legislative walkout. The walkout, which lasted a record-breaking six weeks, stalled bills on abortion and other crucial issues and led to the disqualification of all involved senators from reelection. In Broadman’s eyes, walking out during the legislative session is akin to failing the people of Oregon, and he has vowed to show up no matter how difficult the circumstances may be.
“I’m committing to Summit students and every kid in this region that I’ll never walk out and never use extremist politics to shut down our legislative system,” said Broadman.
Rather than stalling legislation, Broadman is dedicated to making change and addressing the most significant problems facing our state. One of Broadman’s focuses as a Bend City Councilor is targeting homelessness, and as senator, he plans to facilitate further discussion of this topic and increase access to affordable housing for all Oregonians.
Another main priority of his City Council term has been improving local public safety, but he has struggled to implement large changes due to limited state funding. By running for the Senate, Broadman aims to make improvements at a larger scale, providing more funding to police, fire departments and social workers in order to streamline emergency response protocols and mitigate increasing mental health concerns. In addition, he will crack down on the trafficking of dangerous drugs such as fentanyl into our state.
“Everybody’s entitled to a safe community, no matter where you live in Oregon,” said Broadman.
Broadman is more than just a dedicated public servant—he is a father of three daughters in Bend-La Pine Schools. For this reason, he is especially passionate about ensuring Oregon’s public school students receive the best education possible. Currently, Oregon schools are victim to large funding deficits, making it difficult to recruit and retain educators and provide students with the resources they need to succeed. During the 2022–2023 school year, the state provided school districts with approximately $8,400 in funding per student, compared to a national average of $11,000. Oregon public schools also have an elevated number of students in Special Education programs, nearly three percent above average.
Broadman is determined to alleviate these inequities by increasing state funding to public schools, particularly Special Education programs. Quality education is imperative to a well-functioning society, and he will not stop until all Oregon students have access to this fundamental right.
His dedication to improving the state of public education has earned him the support of the Bend Educators Association and all seven members of the Bend-La Pine Schools School Board, endorsements that he counts among the most valuable.
Broadman is also honored to be endorsed by numerous politicians from both sides of the political aisle, including his fellow Bend City Council members, Oregon State Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkeley and former Oregon State Representative Knute Buehler.
Policies and endorsements aside, it is always crucial to consider a candidate’s character. Fortunately for Broadman, he is known by those closest to him as a kind and caring man. Maëlys Wayaffe, a Belgian foreign exchange student currently living with the Broadman family, has found herself pleasantly surprised by his humor and compassion.
“He’s an amazing person, really,” said Wayaffe. “Anthony is so nice to me, and he tries to speak French with me, which is really funny.”
In his time on Bend City Council, Broadman has established himself as a passionate advocate for the citizens of Bend. Now, he hopes to do the same for all Oregonians, regardless of background, political persuasion or geographic location.
“In the State Senate, I’ll be the same guy that you’ve seen on City Council,” Broadman said. “I’m pragmatic. I lead from the middle. I see this as an opportunity to serve rather than hold office, and it’s time for more pragmatism and less extremist politics in Salem.”
We are in a historic era of American politics. Things are changing, and they are changing fast. As the residents of Oregon navigate the polarizing political landscape of our country, it is important to have a senator who looks out for the people, and there is no doubt that Broadman will provide that. A vote for Broadman is more than just a vote—it is a ticket to a Senate free of extremism, in which the needs of all Oregonians come first.
