Republican newcomer challenges incumbent state senator Manning, who seeks third full term 

The two candidates for Oregon Senate District 7 reflect a division of values resembling the national political landscape, especially on issues like government growth and immigration. 

Incumbent Sen. James Manning Jr., a Eugene Democrat, has spent much of his career pushing for the state to become the first in the nation with a universal single-payer healthcare system. In office since a 2016 appointment, he’s running for a third elected four-year term. 

Jack “Jake” Huff is new to politics, but not shy about sharing his values and his goals if elected. He wants more accountability for schools and government spending, and he said Oregon needs to end its longstanding role as a sanctuary state that does not aid federal immigration authorities with enforcement.

He also warns that socialism is overrunning the West Coast and said he entered the race after prayer and fasting.

He faces an uphill battle. The race pits the political newcomer Huff against an experienced legislator who won his 2024 race with 65% of the vote.

The district includes the Eugene neighborhoods of Bethel, Churchill, Sheldon, Cal Young, Whiteaker, Trainsong, Harlow, Santa Clara and River Road, along with the cities of Elmira and Veneta.

Here’s what they had to say. 

Jack ‘Jake’ Huff 

Before retiring, Huff had a career as a technician, first in the Utah Air National Guard and later in the Federal Aviation Administration. He troubleshot and repaired aging air traffic control systems and maintained radios and radar equipment. He worked on systems, including those at the Eugene Airport.

Huff said his work encouraged him to look at the big picture when diagnosing problems and not jump to conclusions. That approach, he said, would serve him well if elected to the state Senate. 

“I’m a big-picture kind of guy,” he said. “I see how systems interact with each other and how long-term things can be affected by what we do in the short-term.”

“My priorities would be to listen to the people that I’m representing in my district, regardless of party, and serve the people, not be somebody who lords over the people,” Huff said. “I think that the service part of public service has kind of gone by the wayside in a lot of ways, and it’s time to get back to serving the citizens of Oregon rather than making the citizens of Oregon serve the government.”

On the policy front, Huff espouses traditional Republican values and takes a tough stance on immigration. For example, he’s opposed to Oregon’s status as a sanctuary state, which prevents local and state law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement activities. 

“Oregon is a sanctuary state, and I think that that’s a mistake,” Huff said, adding that it’s “so much easier” if federal agencies can pick people up in jail to be deported. 

“In these sanctuary cities and states, because we’re not getting the cooperation that we need, we have to go into communities and hunt them down, and that’s not safe for anybody,” he said. “Not the illegal, and not the people hunting for them, and not the people around the illegal.”

Huff said Oregon needs to have better performing public schools and he wants to strengthen Oregon’s “legacy of timber, hunting and fishing.”

In an emailed statement, he said socialism is creeping up along the West Coast, including in Oregon and people can succeed through grit and determination to overcome adversity, including poverty and homelessness, like he did earlier in life. 

James Manning Jr. 

Manning said he’ll continue to advocate for single-payer universal healthcare. That’s been a long journey for Manning: In 2019, he was a chief sponsor of Senate Bill 770, which created a universal healthcare task force to research the issue and make recommendations. 

Since then, Oregon went on to create the Universal Health Plan Governance Board, through legislation Manning sponsored in 2023, to make a report with additional recommendations. That’s due in December. 

Yet that work also comes in a complicated landscape. Cuts and restrictions are hitting Medicaid and the federal food assistance program. 

To make a single-payer system work, Oregon needs Medicare and Medicaid waivers, which the federal government dismantled, Manning said. 

“I am optimistic that one day soon, this will rectify itself, and all Oregonians will have the healthcare that they need,” Manning said. 

Manning said his military career has offered him experiences and insights that shape his approach to lawmaking. For example, he was a military diplomat in Australia and New Zealand. He’s also worked as a railroad special agent and private investigator.  

“So I have some very unique qualities or qualifications that not everyone here in our state capital has,” he said. “I know universal healthcare works very well. I’ve seen it work in Australia, and I’ve seen what it doesn’t do if you don’t have it in other places like Panama. … We claim to be the beacon of light on the hill, and yet we have so many people losing healthcare because they may make one dollar too much, or they don’t qualify for a certain other reason.”

Manning said the current system of healthcare is not working, as it puts profits ahead of people.

“Corporate medicine continues to attempt to creep into our state, healthcare costs are skyrocketing, hospitals are shutting down, medical practitioners are retiring, nurses are overworked and understaffed, and newly established federal law has patients jumping through more and more unnecessary hoops rather than accessing actual care,” he said.

Manning said he focuses on public service and making government work to serve people. For example, he served six years on the Eugene Police Commission, an appointed role, and advocated for police officers to wear body cameras. Eugene became the first city in Oregon to do so in 2017, after a pilot project. 

Manning is the president pro tempore in the Senate, a leadership role that serves as a backup for the Senate president. He’s also chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs.

James Manning Jr.

Age: 73
Residence: Eugene 
Education: Associate’s degree in law enforcement, Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri (1975); bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration, Columbia College, Missouri, (2000); master’s degree in organizational leadership, Chapman University (2007); master’s degree in leadership, Grand Canyon University. 
Occupation: Former police officer, retired Army soldier 
Prior elected experience: Appointed state senator in 2016, elected in 2018 and 2022. Prior board member of the Eugene Water & Electric Board. 
Campaign finance: Manning reported about $72,807 in contributions in 2026 and $49,152 in expenditures. Counting campaign contributions that carried over from 2025, he has about $45,000 cash on hand. 

Jack ‘Jake’ Huff 

Age: 68
Residence: Eugene  
Education: Music and theater courses at Coe College, general education courses at the University of Montevallo, certificates throughout career in radar, technology and equipment from the military and FAA Academy. 
Occupation: Retired, worked at the Utah Air National Guard and Federal Aviation Administration on technical air control systems and communications.
Prior elected experience: First run for office.

Campaign finance: Huff has no donations or expenditures listed in state filings as of Thursday, Oct. 8.