Senate District 27 candidates Broadman, Summers clash frequently during NewsChannel 21 debate

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The two candidates for Oregon Senate District 27, Democrat Anthony Broadman and Republican Michael Summers, clashed repeatedly in a contentious live debate on NewsChannel 21 Tuesday night, each seeking to paint the other as an extremist who won’t bring people together and serve Central Oregonians well in Salem.

From start to finish, both Broadman, a tribal attorney and Bend city councilor, and Summers, a flooring store owner and the Redmond School Board chair, brought up decisions by their opponent that they said showed they would take things down the wrong path if chosen to succeed Republican Tim Knopp, whose involvement in a GOP walkout led to his being ruled unable to seek re-election.

Perhaps the clearest contrast came during their closing statements, in which Summers claimed Broadman “spent four years voting with the most extreme city council Bend has ever had. If he won’t be a moderate in Bend, he won’t be one in Salem.”

“These unchecked policies allowed homeless camps in public spaces, making it harder to keep drugs off our streets and contain wildfires,” Summers said. “Government can’t fix everything, but it can enforce laws, can cut red tape and let real problem-solvers help.”

“I’ll restore balance in the state Senate and work to keep our streets clean, make housing more affordable and ensure people get the help they need,” he added. “If you want words, hire an attorney. If you want action, hire me.”

Broadman countered in closing: “For too long, our region has been held back by extremism and culture wars. I love this place. I love this home. Let’s set aside the negativity and focus on the future.”

He said he raised his family and started a small business in Bend “because this place is worth fighting for.” And he expressed pride for his cross-nomination by the Independent Party.

“We are building a coalition of Democrats and Republicans and independents, and people who feel like the parties just don’t speak to them,” Broadman said. "That is the Central Oregon way. That is the independent spirit that embodies this region. I will always serve you with the dedication that you deserve, and I will always fight for you – not culture wars.”

Broadman won a coin toss and went first with his opening statement, first recounting the horrifying East Bend Safeway shooting of just over two years ago, when in the days after rushing to the command post, he’d heard gratitude from many to the city for “putting the tools in place, the training resources to avoid a much worse tragedy. The decisions we make have real-life consequences, and can’t be diverted by culture wars and division.”

Summers spoke of being a father of four, a third-generation business owner and the drummer for Precious Byrd and that while being on the school board during the tough COVID-19 period, he “learned both sides must work together. I want to bring that same common-sense approach to Salem.”

On the first question, about Oregon’s low graduation rates, Summers said he "got involved in politics to be a problem-solver. Broadman came out swinging: “My opponent wants to cut the main funding source for the Student Success Act. We have to adequately fund our schools.” Summers pointed to his initial response to "make sure we have the funding we need.

Asked about the Measure 110 fixes with recriminalization of drug possession and deflection programs, Broadman said he supported the changes and “think we’re on the right track,” and noted that did not support the measure. Summers called it “one of those black eyes for Oregon.”

When Broadman talked of receiving local and state law enforcement and firefighter associations’ endorsement, Summers said he was surprised by that backing, claiming Broadman has supported eliminating cash bail, an idea “so radical that even San Francisco got rid of it - they got rid of their DA over it.”

On the issue of transportation funding, Broadman noted his lobbying work to assure state funding for the planned Hawthorne Bridge bike and pedestrian overcrossing over the Bend Parkway. But Summers said the project initially figured to cost $4-5 million is “now $40-50 million. I think we can use your transportation dollars in a better way, to serve a lot more people.”

The fifth question was whether each candidate supported the lawmaker walkouts that both parties have used in Salem in the past.

Summers echoed Knopp’s views on the subject, saying that when one party has “a super-majority … one-party rule will often make it where that’s the only option to use.", he claimed, "I’m the only one who can actually go in there and be a check to the balance." He said the Redmond School Boiard was able to "find the balance, keep the crazy on the sidelines and focus on what's best for our constituent"

Broadman said, “I will commit right now to never walking out on Central Oregon” in Salem, saying he didn't support Democrats walking out and that Republicans shut down the recent sessions “for nothing.” And he added that when talking to Redmond parents, they have a lot of concerns that your actions he heard complaints of Summers’ “extreme divisiveness … your actions don’t match your words when it comes to reaching across the aisle.”

The Bend councilor then took on Summers over a vote in 2022 “to allow more guns in Redmond schools," also saying he traveled 1,100 miles to a protest on the Mexican border and backed using taxpayer dollars in a "wild goose chase" lawsuit challenging the state’s COVID policies.

“That’s not bringing people together,” Broadman said. “Divisiveness and partisanship is something Central Oregon is tired of.”  Summers countered that the concealed weapons ban was an “additional, optional policy from the state. We decided not to adopt it,” as Redmond schools already had strong policies in place.

“I know attorneys like to have 10 laws when we only need one,” Summers said. In his rebuttal time, Broadman repeated, “You voted to allow concealed weapons into Redmond schools. The record speaks for itself. Frankly, I’d be embarrassed too.”

The back-and-forth continued, as Summers said they “already have a good policy” regarding weapons in schools and have recently added camera and security systems to keep schools safe. But Broadman responded, “The record speaks for itself,” calling Summers' vote against a concealed weapons ban “really sad.”

On the homeless issue, Broadman pointed to several city actions and touted a recent 5% reduction in homeless in Bend, while noting “we have so much more work to do.” Summers said, “5% is not an impressive number. I’ve been on Second Street the last couple days and frankly, I’m not impressed.” He spoke of providing flooring at the Bethlehem Inn shelter and the Veterans Village: “We’re actually doing something, not talking about it.”