1. Peter DeFazio Representative, U.S. Congress.

2. Kitty Piercy Former mayor of Eugene.

3. Floyd Prozanski Senator, Oregon Legislature.

Peter DeFazio says he didn’t imagine he would become a career congressman, much less a politician, but after 32 years, it’s strange to imagine a time where he wasn’t Oregon’s 4th district representative. Regardless of the political turmoil going on in D.C. right now, EW readers still have faith in DeFazio. Maybe it’s the length of his tenure or the progressive liberal policies he stands for. Maybe it’s because he has fought hard and held onto the congressional seat all these years. “It’s been an interesting, long-term challenge, “ DeFazio says. 

He represents a district that has areas that are both Democrat and Republican. He says he handles this by telling every part of the district the same beliefs and ideas. “People aren’t going to agree with me 100 percent but at least they know where I stand,” he says. 

After decades in office, DeFazio became the chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, focusing on transportation and land protection in Oregon’s second biggest district. When he’s not in D.C. or Oregon, DeFazio spends time travelling around the country, helping other Democrats with their campaigns. It’s also worth a mention that former mayor Kitty Piercy maintained her longtime position in the top three. Although she hasn’t been in office for three years, members of Eugene are still fond of her time as mayor.

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