Democrat Dan Rayfield debates his Republican rival, Will Lathrop, in the attorney general debate on KOIN TV on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (Courtesy of KOIN)
With votes still being counted, Oregon Attorney General-elect Dan Rayfield on Thursday announced the first two members of his executive team and promised to stand firm against “unconstitutional and unlawful threats” President-elect Donald Trump made while campaigning.
Rayfield, Oregon’s former House speaker and a Corvallis Democrat, said Lisa Udland, who currently works in the Attorney General’s Office, will be his deputy and Jenn Baker, his former chief of staff, will serve in that same role.
Rayfield, who declared victory on Tuesday, continues to maintain a 7-point lead over his Republican opponent, Will Lathrop. By Thursday afternoon, with ballots counted from 61% of registered voters, Rayfield led by 120,000 votes. Turnout in Oregon’s 2020 election was 78.5% of registered voters.
Lathrop has conceded and The Oregonian/OregonLive has called the race for Rayfield.
Rayfield said Thursday he’s eager to start the job, replacing Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum who is retiring from the office.
“I am excited to announce that we have already begun to assemble a strong team to help lead the Oregon Department of Justice’s executive office through this transition and into my term,” Rayfield said in a statement.
Udland, currently deputy attorney general, has more than a decade of leadership experience at the Oregon Department of Justice, and has served as chief counsel of the Civil Enforcement Division and overseen the state’s work on consumer protection.
“Deputy Attorney General Udland’s experience and professionalism is an invaluable asset that will provide much needed stability during this time,” Rayfield said.
Udland arrived at the agency in 2002 as an attorney with the Civil Recovery Section, where she spent many years working on issues relating to the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, which handled funding the state received from lawsuits against tobacco companies. She also has worked as an attorney in private practice and for the Department of Consumer and Business Services Division of Finance and Corporate Securities.
Jenn Baker was Rayfield’s chief of staff while he was in the speaker’s office, a position he took on in 2022, eight years after being elected to the Oregon House. Baker also served as a labor and workforce policy advisor to then-Gov. Kate Brown and has worked as political director of the Oregon Nurses Association and worked for campaigns.
“Jenn brings extensive experience in Oregon state government,” Rayfield said. “Her collaborative leadership style has been indispensable in advancing consequential policy for the people of Oregon throughout her career.”
“In the coming weeks, we will be focused on building a strong team that will lead the important work of keeping our communities safe and protecting seniors, consumers and working families,” Rayfield said. “In light of this week’s election, our work to defend Oregon’s values and the rule of law against national attacks will be front and center like never before. As the last line of defense for the rights and freedoms of Oregonians, we will be prepared to stand firm against the unconstitutional and unlawful threats President-elect Trump promised on the campaign trail.”
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