Fields, Trails lead campaign fundraising
Meanwhile, a political action committee is bolstering its spending power in its attempt to overturn the Yamhill County Board of Commissioners’ removal of the Yamhelas Westsider Trail from the county’s Transportation Systems Plan. About half the money raised is from a prominent Washington County resident.
Fields, a small business owner from Newberg, is running for Seat 3 that will be open following three terms by Commissioner Mary Starrett.
He entered the year with slightly more than $11,000 on hand, as has since added $48,649 in contributions as of Thursday, April 2 — about $11,000 of which is in-kind from himself.
His largest donors are Craig Pubols of McMinnville ($10,000) and Ryann Reinhofer of Newberg ($5,000), along with $3,000 each from The Yamhill County Republican Party, the Town and Country PAC and Daryl Reibold of Yamhill, and $2,500 from J. Bacon Farms LLC. He’s received contributions of at least $1,000 from seven others. The state’s campaign finance site also lists a $5,000 non-exempt loan from his own company and a $10,000 loan from the Andrea M. Fields Family Trust.
He had about $43,000 cash on hand as of Thursday, according to the state’s online campaign finance website.
One of his opponents, Neyssa Hays, a Yamhill resident and director of an outdoor education nonprofit, has raised a little more than $15,000 and spent about a third of that, as of Thursday. She’s received $2,000 from Ed Shell and WJ Spurling, both from Yamhill, $1,500 from Veronica Hinkes of Carlton, $1,000 each from Edward Fredenburg of Newberg and Michael McNally of Yamhill. Four others contributed $500 each. Twenty-three donors are listed on her campaign finance report, along with about $2,200 in miscellaneous cash contributions.
Fields lists about 50 individual donors, along with about the same amount in miscellaneous cash contributions as Hays.
David Wall of Newberg, a perennial commissioner candidate who never campaigns, has again not filed a campaign committee with the state.
In the race for Seat 1, incumbent Kit Johnston has so far this election season just $3,100 in contributions, all from Nick Hall of Newberg. He entered the year with slightly more than $13,000 cash on hand. His account balance is negative as of Thursday because of $10,000 in outstanding loans and about $12,000 in outstanding personal expenditures.
Johnston’s challenger, John Linder, a financial professional from McMinnville, has raised a little more than $13,000 thus far and spent just under $5,000. His largest donations are from Hinkes ($1,500), Timothy Sadlo of Portland ($1,000), Michael McNally of Yamhill ($1,000) and four contributions of $500. Nineteen individual contributors are listed on his report, along with about $3,300 in miscellaneous cash contributions.
Hays and Linder have contributed $3,250 each to the Livability Oregon PAC, directed by Maryl Kunkel of Newberg, which is assisting in their campaigns. County Clerk candidate Cindy Johnson of Newberg contributed $2,000 to the PAC for voter mobilization.
Livability Oregon has raised $23,375 in 2026, including $8,000 from Karen Johnson of Newberg and $5,000 from A-Dec Chairman of the Board Scott Parrish. Frank Foti, owner of The Ground food and hospitality business, was the PAC’s first donor, contributing $10,000 last June for a billboard purchase.
With two candidates, the Clerk’s position will be decided in the November general election.
Johnson has raised more than $7,000, including a $2,000 contribution from herself, $2,000 from Marsh Lawrence of Borrego Springs, California, and $1,000 from Nancy Adams of Poulsbo, Washington. She lists two other donors, and the rest is from miscellaneous cash contributions.
Incumbent Clerk Keri Hinton started the year with about $1,600 and has added just a few hundred dollars to her total.
Trails PAC, chaired by Matt Dolphin, has more than $40,000 in contributions so far.
Two petitions have been filed by Trails PAC aimed at preserving public use of the former rail corridor and requiring a public vote before any county recreation property can be sold. And last month, after the commissioners’ removal of the trail was finalized, the PAC submitted a prospective referendum petition to the county clerk to reverse the decision. The PAC has until June 17 to verify and submit at least 1,977 signatures to place the measure on the November ballot before the resolution to remove the trail takes effect.
In February, Trails PAC received a $25,000 contribution from Penelope “Penny” Knight, wife of Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
Dolphin told the News-Register the donation was not directly solicited by volunteers. “It kind of just showed up,” he said. “We’re grateful for it and we appreciate the support.”
The remainder has been donated by 38 individuals along with about $8,800 in miscellaneous cash contributions. Other large donors include Nancy Woodworth of Yamhill ($4,000), Ronni Lacroute of McMinnville ($2,500) and Hinkes ($2,000). Dolphin has also contributed $8,000 in-kind, according to state records.
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