An Oregon state representative is making headlines after announcing he is leaving the Republican Party and seeking reelection as a Democrat, citing his gay son and conservative attacks on LGBTQ+ books as reasons for the switch. Representative Cyrus Javadi, who serves Oregon’s 32nd District, announced on his Substack page. His decision shifts the balance in the Oregon House to 37 Democrats out of 60 seats. Javadi said his move was about cutting through “partisan BS” and focusing on governing.
He wrote, “I know many Republicans who still share my values, but the party apparatus is headed somewhere else entirely…It’s not about governing. It’s about burning things down. It’s about isolating minority communities when politically convenient.”
Javadi pointed to Republican rejections of his proposals on children’s Medicaid benefits and rural hospital funding — not because the policies were flawed, he said, but because helping him didn’t fit the GOP’s agenda. He also criticized Republican culture war battles, especially book bans in schools.
He wrote, “If outrage were a renewable energy source, Oregon could power the grid with Republican Facebook comments alone.”
On the so-called “book bill,” Javadi said, “The real issue was whether kids — gay kids like my son, Black kids, Muslim kids — could still find stories on the shelves that reflect their lives.”
For Javadi, the shift is about protecting free speech, minority rights, and practical governance.
He concludes the post saying, “Yes, I’m switching to the Democratic Party…Not because Democrats are perfect. But they’re acting like a governing party.”
