Dan Rayfield

Bio

Like most people, the issues that drive and motivate me were shaped over time by many different experiences throughout my life. At a young age, the contrasting parenting styles and perspectives of my mother and father had a significant impact on my worldviews. My mother was an activist and small business owner that reveled in dragging her young and often unwilling son to events promoting progressive causes. My father, on the other hand, was a former Colonel in the Air Force Reserve and a senior vice president of a commercial insurance company. Needless to say, they had entirely different perspectives on life and politics. This dynamic forced me to quickly rationalize how two good people can have vastly different outlooks in life.

Growing up in Oregon, my views were also significantly shaped by my experiences as a student in our public school system. As a child, I saw firsthand the divestment in our K-12 education system. At Western Oregon University as an undergraduate student, I personally experienced the increasing costs of higher education. After graduating from Willamette University College of Law in 2006, I then faced the all too common struggle of starting out in life with significant student loan debt.

As an attorney, I represent individuals with consumer and civil rights cases against large corporations, insurance companies, and other bad actors. Being a partner in our law firm also means I must navigate the practicalities of owning and operating a small business. Fighting for the “little guy” while also maintaining a fiscally sound business has given me great satisfaction but has also deepened my appreciation for anyone that strikes out on their own to start a business.

While many experiences that shape us occur when we are younger, being a parent later in life has given me a sense of urgency to find solutions for the many problems we face here in Oregon. In my life I have benefitted from having a supportive family, reliable health care, and a good education. I am committed to pursuing policies that will ensure everyone has the same opportunities that I had growing up.