Bend-La Pine teacher Mary Doyle announces bid for U.S. House seat held by Rep. Cliff Bentz

(Update: adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Longtime Bend-La Pine educator Mary Doyle officially announced her campaign for Congress Wednesday, seeking to represent Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District and to unseat current Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore.

Doyle, a Democrat and lifelong public servant with deep roots in Central Oregon, says her campaign is built on one core principle: restoring honesty and accountability in government while delivering tangible results for rural working families. 

“Our democracy is only as strong as the integrity of those who serve it,” Doyle said. “Oregonians deserve a representative who listens, shows up, and fights for the people — not for the corporations or billionaires who have rigged the system in their favor.” 

Doyle shared her announcement news release with KTVZ News and told us she has yet to file her candidacy with the Federal Election Commission for the May Democratic Party primary. Ballotpedia reports that four other Democrats have announced a bid for Bentz's seat, along with two Republican challengers.

She said she is in her 21st year working for Bend-La Pine Schools, currently a teacher on special assignment (TOSA) serving all the schools in La Pine.

Doyle's announcement continues in full below:

Putting People and Communities First 

Drawing on two decades in public education, administration, local and state union work, Doyle says her priorities come directly from the needs of the people she’s served: 

• Healthcare for All: Transitioning toward Medicare for All through community-based models like Mosaic Community Health, ensuring no one goes bankrupt for being sick.  

• Education and Workforce Development: Expanding access to grants, apprenticeships, and skilled-trade training to build a strong rural workforce and revitalize local economies. 

• Sustainability and Natural Resources: Balancing selective logging, ranching, agriculture, and renewable energy development with long-term environmental stewardship.  

• Economic Fairness: Implementing progressive tax reform, raising corporate minimum tax rates, ending carried interest, and closing loopholes that favor the wealthy over working families.  

• Ethics and Democracy Reform: Ending Citizens United, enacting campaign-finance reform and transparency, and rebuilding trust in government institutions. 

A Record of Leadership and Resilience 

Doyle’s leadership style was forged in Oregon’s classrooms, where she worked with students facing severe behavioral, academic, and mental health challenges. 

“I’ve experienced a vast and wide variety of experiences that are difficult, resulting from severe trauma manifesting in real time in classroom and school buildings, and I showed up again the next day to teach,” she said. “That’s what public service requires—discipline, compassion, and the courage to keep working through the hard experiences regardless of what is said or done to you.” 

A Clear Contrast in Values 

Doyle points to incumbent Rep. Cliff Bentz’s vote to object to the 2020 presidential election results and his opposition to the bipartisan infrastructure bill as evidence of misplaced priorities. 

“When you undermine verified elections and vote against investments that rural Oregonians need, that’s not representation—it’s neglect,” Doyle said. “I’m running to restore integrity and service to this office.” 

Mary Doyle said her campaign will refuse AIPAC and corporate PAC money and prioritize community engagement through open town halls in every county of the district, unlike Rep. Cliff Bentz.  

About Mary Doyle 

Mary Doyle is an educator, union member, and community leader with more than 20 years in Oregon public schools. Her career includes roles as Athletic Director, Student Services Coordinator, and Teacher on Special Assignment for Title I schools serving rural and low-income students. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Portland State University, a Master’s in Teacher Education from Eastern Oregon University, and Professional Administrative Licensure from the University of Oregon. 

Running as an independent voice on the Democratic ticket, Mary Doyle said her campaign will focus on restoring trust, accountability, and local problem-solving to a district that has long felt unheard in Washington, D.C. 

Follow Mary Doyle on Social Media:  Instagram @MaryDoyleForCongress /  X @District2Oregon  / TikTok @MaryDoyle4Congress 

Follow the Campaign: https://linktr.ee/MaryDoyleForCongress