Andrew Fudge Wins SMART-TD Endorsement in Oregon House Race

SMART-TD formally endorses Republican Andrew Fudge for Oregon House District 20, taking our fight for two-person train crews (2-PC) from the halls of the Oregon Legislature directly to the ballot box.

Fudge will face incumbent Democratic Representative Paul Evans in the November 3 General Election. A native Oregonian, CPA and former state government budget professional, Fudge has made accountability a central theme of his campaign and has told SMART-TD he supports our fight for two-person crews.

For Oregon railroaders, the contrast is clear.

When SMART-TD needed Evans on one of our highest-priority safety and job-security issues, he would not stand with us.

Now, we are standing with the candidate running to replace him.

One vote short…and Evans said no.

During the 2025 Oregon legislative session, SMART-TD made Senate Bill 723, requiring a minimum of two crew members on most trains, one of its highest priorities.

Oregon State Safety and Legislative Director Dan Garrison and his board had built bipartisan support and believed the bill could pass if given the opportunity.

At the critical moment, SMART-TD was one vote short of advancing the legislation from the Joint Committee on Transportation.

Evans could have provided that support.

He declined.

That point is important: Evans was not a SMART-TD ally who suddenly changed sides. When railroaders needed him to support their two-person-crew legislation, he would not do it.

According to SMART-TD officials involved in discussions with Evans, he indicated that the timing was not right for the legislation.

But when exactly is the wrong time for safety?

Railroad safety doesn’t become less important because political timing is inconvenient. Derailments, grade-crossing collisions, and other emergencies don’t wait for a better legislative session.

Neither should the people whose jobs and communities are at risk.

Evans has also described himself in correspondence with SMART-TD representatives as a longtime union dues-paying member. That made his refusal to support another union’s effort to protect its members’ safety and job security even more disappointing to Oregon railroaders.

Member Safety Matters. Political Party Does Not

SMART-TD’s endorsement of Fudge also sends a broader message.

Party affiliation does not guarantee our support.

Fudge supports our two-person crew effort. Evans had the opportunity to help advance it and chose not to.

Public campaign-finance records also show that Union Pacific Railroad Company contributed to Evans’s campaign. Those contributions do not establish why Evans refused to support SMART-TD’s legislation, and our union is not claiming they do. But our members are entitled to consider the entire public record when deciding who deserves their support.

Fudge has also earned the Independent Party of Oregon’s nomination, adding to the broad coalition supporting his challenge to Evans.

Accountability comes to the ballot box

Following the defeat of the two-person-crew bill, Garrison made it clear that SMART-TD would continue fighting for rail safety in Salem and that Oregon railroaders would remember who stood with them when endorsement season arrived.

That time is here.

SMART-TD works with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents who fight for transportation workers. But when politicians ask for our members’ support, we pay attention to what they do after Election Day.

Especially when our jobs and our safety are on the line.

Paul Evans had the opportunity to stand with Oregon railroaders when their legislation was one vote short.

He chose not to.

This November, Oregon railroaders have an opportunity to make their own choice.

SMART-TD proudly endorses Andrew Fudge for Oregon House District 20.