QuickTake:

Springfield Mayor Sean VanGordon is running for Lane County Commissioner David Loveall’s seat. VanGordon has been elected mayor twice.

This story has been updated.

Springfield Mayor Sean VanGordon said Monday he is running for Lane County commissioner, a move that pits him against Commissioner David Loveall, the incumbent and chair of the five-member commission. 

In a release Monday, VanGordon said jobs, downtown growth and infrastructure gains achieved under his leadership show the value of communities working together. He said his campaign will focus on listening, collaboration and solutions for families and small businesses. 

“In Springfield, we’ve proven that progress comes from working together, building good jobs, creating housing people can afford, and improving our streets and neighborhoods. I want to bring that same approach to Lane County,” VanGordon said in a statement.

Loveall was elected in 2022 to his Lane County commission seat, which represents Springfield. 

Early Monday afternoon, Loveall posted a message on Facebook announcing he has filed to run for reelection. He didn’t mention his new opponent and said he’d focus on public safety, economic growth and common-sense governance.

“Serving as your Lane County Commissioner has never been about seeking the easy path— it’s about standing up for the truth and what matters most to our communities here in Springfield,” Loveall said on social media.

Loveall told a Lookout Eugene-Springfield reporter on Monday evening that he welcomed the mayor to the race.

“He’s been a good mayor,” he said. “I think he should continue to be a great mayor, but there’s always room for improvement in politics.”

Loveall called himself an entrepreneur and said his leadership style is needed.

In recent months, Loveall’s Lane County tenure has seen controversy, and he has clashed at times with his colleagues. In September, Lane County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky emailed Loveall, calling out his statements and behavior that have generated complaints, including a tort claim from the former county counsel settled for $250,000.

VanGordon, 45, has been mayor of Springfield since 2021. His current term as mayor goes through 2028. 

He held a press conference at Lovely in downtown Springfield on Monday afternoon to announce his campaign and answer questions from reporters. 

“I want you to feel the same way about Lane County’s government as you do about Springfield,” he said to a small crowd of reporters in the cafe’s outdoor courtyard. “As a county, we need to focus on economic development, because solid job growth makes all of our challenges easier.”

VanGordon said he spoke with Loveall before announcing his candidacy for county commissioner. 

“I think that we have a long history together and I’ve got a lot of respect for Commissioner Loveall, and I wanted to take the time to let him know personally,” the mayor said during the press conference. 

When asked about how he thinks Loveall has been doing in his role as county commissioner, VanGordon said the county commission is hard work.

“What I’m choosing to talk about today is where we have gaps as a community,” the mayor said. “And I think the biggest issue and challenge that we have in the next five years is, how do we find great partners in the county, so that when we look at our goals as Springfield, we can get the support, we can talk about infrastructure investment, we can talk about legislative support, all those things that will make our dreams come true.”

VanGordon moved to Springfield in 2007 and got his start in public service on the Springfield Planning Commission in 2008. He joined the Springfield City Council in 2011 and served Ward 1, the Gateway area, for 10 years. 

In 2021, the council selected VanGordon to serve as Springfield’s interim mayor after former mayor Christine Lundberg stepped down from the position. VanGordon was elected to the position in 2022 and reelected in 2024, and both times he ran uncontested. 

VanGordon has a full-time job working in financial planning for UnitedHealth Group. He and his wife, Elaine, have 9-year-old twin daughters.

Ben Botkin covers politics and policy in Lane County. He has worked as a journalist since 2003, most recently at the Oregon Capital Chronicle, where he covered justice, health and human services and documented regional efforts to combat fentanyl addiction. Botkin has worked in statehouses in Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma and, of course, Oregon. When he's not working, you'll find him road tripping across the West, hiking or surfing along the Oregon Coast.