Melissa Bird (Oregon)
Melissa Bird (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Oregon's 4th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Bird completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Melissa Bird was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She earned a high school diploma from Park City High School, a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah in 1998, a graduate degree from the University of Utah in 2003, and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in 2017. Bird's career experience includes working as an entrepreneur, professor, and clinical social worker. As of 2025, she was affiliated with the Women's Foundation of Oregon, the Episcopal Church in Western Oregon, the Native American Youth and Family Center, the Northwest Native Chamber, and Oregon Entrepreneurs Network.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Oregon's 4th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House Oregon District 4
Incumbent Val Hoyle, Melissa Bird, William King, Monique DeSpain, and Raiph Huber are running in the general election for U.S. House Oregon District 4 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Val Hoyle (D) | |
 | Melissa Bird (D)  | |
| William King (D) | ||
 | Monique DeSpain (R) | |
 | Raiph Huber (R) | |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
To view Bird's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Melissa Bird completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Bird's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am a rebel, a warrior, and a healer. I love Oregon — its trees, oceans, and mountains — and I believe in leaving this world better for my children and grandchildren. As we watch our democracy falter, I feel called to be on the frontlines fighting for it.
I am running for Congress because my life has shown me how deeply policy touches people. I have worked as a social worker, lobbyist, and teacher, and I know that when government listens, it can truly change lives. I am also a businesswoman who has redefined what success looks like. I have failed and started over more times than I can count, and each time I have learned how to lead with courage and humility.
My love for politics began at my grandmother’s dining table, where she and my aunt debated over silver and china. They disagreed with grace and conviction, and I carry their legacy with me every day. Women fought for me to have a voice and a vote. Now, I am running for Congress to honor that fight and to make sure every voice in Oregon’s 4th District is heard.- This is not a cookie-cutter campaign. It is a campaign built around what people need and deserve. We are living in a critical moment for our democracy, and we need elected officials who will truly listen to the will of the people and act for the good of the entire district. The people of Oregon’s 4th District deserve representation that values every community, from our rural towns to our cities. Now more than ever, we need leaders who will bring everyone to the table and fight for all of us.
- I am deeply concerned about how we are treating our young people and our elders. Our veterans are being discarded after serving this country in wars that should never have happened. The people of Oregon’s 4th District deserve a representative who will honor the real needs of working families and disrupted communities. Too many voters have been ignored or pushed aside by political machines that keep recycling the same handpicked candidates of the elite. This is our time to fight for representation that reflects who we truly are — diverse, hard working, and ready to be heard.
- I have spent my adult life connecting people in community. Every step I’ve taken since high school has led me here. I know how to connect with people who disagree and bring them to the table. I’ve helped leaders understand what their communities truly need, not just what looks good on paper. I’m running for Congress because I know there’s a better way to lead. I’m not rich or an establishment candidate. This campaign isn’t about me, it’s about electing leaders who are kind, compassionate, and willing to listen so we can pass policies that help the many, not the powerful few.
Metallica showed me that asking for help can lead to greatness. When they sought help producing The Black Album, they created one of the most powerful records ever made. Their podcast feels like life coaching set to a soundtrack.
Eleanor Roosevelt inspires me because she told the truth about people’s lives and fought for what was right, even when it was unpopular. She was a rebel, a prolific writer, and a woman who opened doors where none existed.
Joy Harjo’s poetry sings to the little Native girl in my soul. Her words remind me that our stories matter and that beauty and grief can exist in the same breath.
I admire fiction writers for their bravery. To put imagination into the world is to expose your heart, and that kind of vulnerability is powerful.
An elected official leads with wisdom and has the courage to do what is hard. They hold their position with love and humility and learn not only from their mistakes but from their successes. Their job is to take what they learn through policymaking and share it in ways that people can understand and engage with.
Elected officials are part of our communities, even if they serve in Washington, D.C. Our homes are still here. Our children still go to school here. We have a responsibility to care for the cities, counties, and states that sent us to lead.
This district deserves a representative who has listened to the stories of child abuse survivors, who has taught social work students how to engage in ethical policymaking, and who has fought her own battles to belong in a world that often said she was not enough.
My legacy is about catching people before they fall in a system that was never designed for them. I have fought for women’s rights, honored my Indigenous heritage, and carried my grandfather’s legacy as a World War II veteran. I have worked to build a country where everyone has a fair chance to succeed and live with dignity.
What makes the House truly unique is that it was built for regular people to serve. It was meant for farmers, small business owners, teachers, and workers to bring their lived experience into policymaking. I believe the House is in need of that diverse representation again, leaders who understand what it means to live paycheck to paycheck, to raise families, to care for elders, and to run small businesses.
Members of Congress must never forget that they work for the people, not their political party. Diversity in Congress is not just symbolic; it is essential to representing a nation as vast and varied as ours.
And yet, the House has lost sight of some of its most basic responsibilities. We have been running the largest economy in the world on continuing resolutions for decades. As a mom and a business owner, I cannot imagine telling my husband or my accountant, “Let’s just hold things over for a while and see what happens.” That is not leadership. The House can and must do better. It has the power to balance our budget, to protect our people, and to rebuild trust in our government.
Experience matters, but not just political experience. What matters most is a commitment to democracy, a respect for the process, and a clear understanding that government is of the people, by the people, and for the people.
The founders built this system on our shared humanity. That means the people who hold office should come from our communities. They should be teachers, nurses, small business owners, veterans, and parents. They should be neighbors we know and trust.
If we are willing to face our reality, we can form a more perfect union. We can build a government that works for people by applying the principles of democracy to the world we live in today. We are not a small country. We are vast and diverse, and we must shape solutions that reflect who we are, not who we once were.
We have the power to create universal healthcare if we are willing to rethink our economic priorities. We can deliver the best education in the world if we truly invest in our children. We can care for our young people, our elders, and our homeless neighbors if we begin to see them as human beings and not statistics.
Dehumanization is one of our nation’s deepest wounds. Too often, those in power forget that their decisions affect every one of us – in grocery stores, at the doctor’s office, and at the gas pump.
But we also need to be honest about the challenges this system creates. The amount of money in politics has turned campaigning into a nonstop cycle of fundraising. As someone running a grassroots campaign against an opponent with millions in the bank, I can tell you that this system makes it harder for regular people to serve.
We need to create opportunities for people of all backgrounds, faiths, and ages to serve — and to serve for a limited time. That is how we build a democracy that truly belongs to the people.
When I was a little girl, I remember my best friend’s mother making phone calls for Geraldine Ferraro’s vice-presidential campaign. I watched women gathered in a living room, fired up and talking politics, and I remember thinking, “Oh, we can do this.” That moment lit something in me.
Anne Richards, Shirley Chisholm, and Hillary Clinton have all shaped how I think about courage and service. Utah State Representatives Roz McGee, Jennifer Seelig, and Rebecca Chavez-Houck taught me what practical, grounded leadership looks like. School Board Chair Dr. Luhui Whitebear reminds me every day what it means to lead with integrity, humility, and deep connection to community.
One story that touched me deeply happened during my campaign kickoff in August 2025. There was an elder sitting alone on a bench, weeping. I sat next to him and asked what was wrong. He told me he never thought he would live to see a Native woman running for Congress. He said it brought him to tears because he knew how important this moment was, not just for our community or our district, but for history itself.
We sat together quietly for a while. Then he looked at me and said, “Do not give up. I know this will be hard, but you are doing this because you will change the trajectory of our history forever.”
I taught myself how a bill becomes a law, and two years later, that bill passed. But it didn’t pass in the same form I wrote. It passed because we compromised. The heart of the bill remained, but we adjusted it so it could gain support. That process has since helped hundreds of young people change their lives for the better. It’s one of the things I am most proud of.
I believe it is critical to help people understand why revenue originates in the House and why the separation of powers matters so deeply. It is one of the core principles that keeps our democracy balanced and healthy.
I still remember the first time I learned about fiscal notes, the Rules Committee, and how concurrence works in policymaking. Those lessons showed me how deliberate and thoughtful our system is meant to be. As a member of Congress, I would use this authority to ensure that federal resources are invested in ways that reflect our values - funding healthcare, education, and housing, and prioritizing the needs of working families over special interests.
The House should use its investigative powers with great care and integrity. Every investigation, hearing, and request for testimony must be guided by the best interests of the American people, not by the desire for headlines or partisan gain.
I have watched many congressional hearings over the years, both in person and on television. Some are seared in my memory, like the testimony of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings. That moment showed me the weight and responsibility that comes with Congressional oversight.
What touches me most is how surprised people are that I’m the one calling them. So many say, “I can’t believe you actually wanted to talk to me.” That tells you everything about how disconnected our politics has become. Our leaders are building relationships with corporations instead of constituents.
AI is also creating a dangerous economic bubble that will eventually burst and leave working families to deal with the fallout. The massive data centers required to run AI systems consume staggering amounts of power and water. It is unacceptable that everyday people will be footing the bill for corporate energy use through higher utility costs.
The United States government must take a strong regulatory role in the development and use of AI. We need transparency, accountability, and sustainability standards. The government should ensure that AI development does not exploit people’s creativity, violate privacy, or drain our natural resources.
We also need to be honest about the direction this is heading. Companies are pushing for nuclear energy as a so-called “green” solution to power these massive systems. That should alarm all of us. Have we already forgotten Chernobyl?
We also need to educate people about how our elections work and why their vote matters. I would support legislation that invests in civic education, voter registration, and access to the ballot.
It is long past time to eliminate the Electoral College. It distorts the will of the people and discourages participation, especially among young voters who feel their votes do not count. That system may have made sense in the 18th century, but it no longer reflects the size, diversity, or reality of our country.
I will also fight to protect and expand vote-by-mail nationwide. In Oregon, we have been voting by mail for decades with security and success. It increases participation for rural residents, working families, people with disabilities, and elders.
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on November 11, 2025
