Rep. Travis Nelson
There is so much to talk about when it comes to celebrating the victory and potential of Rep. Travis Nelson, but unfortunately we have to start with the events of January 30 and February 1 of this year when he was pulled over by Oregon State Police twice in that span, leading many to wonder: was unconscious racial bias playing a role in these stops? He is, after all, the only black male in the Oregon Legislature.
Rep. Nelson ascended to his current seat when its former occupant, Tina Kotek, resigned so she could run for Governor. She won, becoming one of the first openly gay women to become a state governor in US History. Nelson, who is also openly gay (and Oregon's first gay black office holder), will discuss the future of LGBTQIA2S+ trends in public office, as well as most recent DNC meeting events (he is also an elected representative of that body), post-COVID America from his perspective as a Registered Nurse who worked through the pandemic, and much more.
Many eyes are on Rep. Nelson to perhaps become Oregon's first non-white governor, and we at Weekly Town Hall concur. We are thrilled to introduce him to a more national audience.