Sen. Tim Knopp endorses Redmond School Board Chair Michael Summers in his Senate District 27 election bid

(Update: Knopp endorses Michael Summers; Bryan Iverson criticizes Democratic candidate Broadman

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- State Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, on Friday endorsed Redmond School Board Chairman Michael Summers in his bid for Knopp’s District 27 seat after previous Knopp-backed candidate Shannon Monihan was disqualified by the Secretary of State’s Office.

One day after the Oregon Legislature ended its short session, Knopp, who has served as the Senate Republican leader, issued the endorsement through an announcement by the Senate Republicans Leadership Fund.

‘In my 12 years of service in the Oregon Senate, I have learned that we need candidates who can build a strong coalition of community support," Knopp said. "It is clear to me in the race for Senate District 27, that person is Michael Summers. Summers has proven he can put in the work to get things done for the Redmond community and I am confident he will do the same in the Oregon Senate.”

Bryan Iverson, executive director of the Leadership Fund, said, “Michael Summers is exactly what we look for when recruiting people to run, especially in Central Oregon, where Senator Knopp has been a quintessential community leader. Summers has what it takes to win.”

In his Tuesday filing with the Secretary of State’s Office – one week before the filing deadline – Summers said he’s the third generation at Summers Flooring & Design, as well as a musician with Precious Byrd and High Street.

Summers was elected to the Redmond School Board in May of 2021, and his biography on their website says he is “a native Central Oregonian with a deep love and appreciation for the region,” and the father of four school-aged daughters.

Monihan, endorsed by Knopp after courts ruled he couldn’t run for office again due to last year’s GOP walkout, was disqualified by the Secretary of State’s Office after it found she failed to show she’d lived in District 27 for a year.

That left only Democratic candidate and Bend City Councilor Anthony Broadman on the ballot for May, with a week left before the filing deadline.

Friday's brief announcement also included sharp criticism of Broadman by Iverson, who said, “What the Oregon Senate absolutely does not need is another progressive attorney who will rubber-stamp the liberal Portland Democrat agenda.

"Anthony Broadman is a Princeton lawyer who’s only notable accomplishments are expanding homelessness and prolonging the housing crisis," Iverson continued. "His failed progressive policies demonstrated at the Bend City Council will not benefit Senate District 27.”