About Hank
Growing up: Rural Oregon
Growing up in rural Oregon meant running through Gaston’s thick forests, swimming in Hagg Lake, and hiking through wine country. It also meant fighting off corporations that wanted to put liquified natural gas pipelines through our ground.
I want every family to have the same experiences as I did growing up in rural Oregon. Affordable, fresh produce. Fire-free summers. Winters where you didn’t have to worry about the electrical bill. That seems to be slipping away from us. Unless we make changes.
Journalism: Uncovering corruption
After college when I was reporting for the Chicago Tribune, I walked into city hall and stumbled upon a scandal. A consulting company was advising city council on where city council should spend its money AND it was also submitting bids for those contracts.
That story gained national attention and landed me a job reporting for The New York Times where I covered more political corruption including from the Trump administration.
The Gorge: Fighting back
Trump’s second inauguration motivated me to fight back. I knew this fight began back home in rural Oregon. Living back in Hood River and working in Salem, I began meeting with community members and listened to their concerns and problems.
That’s when I started to develop my policy plan and decided to run for state representative.
We can win these fights. I know it. That’s why I am fighting with you.