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Shemia Fagan (born September 20, 1981 in Dufur, Oregon) is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Oregon Senate, representing Senate District 24 starting in 2019. She represented House District 51 from 2013 to 2017. Fagan secured the Democratic nomination for Oregon Secretary of State in a close three-way race and is the current contender against Republican nominee Kim Thatcher.

Early life and education
Shemia Fagan was born on September 20, 1981 in Dufur, Oregon. She lived in both Dufur and The Dalles during her childhood and was raised primarily by her father, John Frank Fagan. During her adolescence, she occasionally visited her mother in East Portland. Throughout her professional political career, Fagan has been candid regarding the situation involving her mother whom she states has struggled with drug addiction and homelessness. Her paternal grandmother, Imogene Fagan worked at a shipyard during, who later owned a small business and was the mayor of a rural Colorado town.

Fagan was raised in a household that was "staunchly conservative" and religious. Fagan's father struggled income-wise which lead to moments of housing insecurity for Fagan and her two brothers. While attending Dufur Elementary School she took up chess in an after-school program and became one of Oregon's Scholastic Chess Champions. She is a graduate of The Dalles High School where she was a member of the schools soccer, basketball, and track teams.

Fagan is a graduate of Northwest Nazarene University, where she earned a bachelors in religion and philosphy. She attended Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon briefly before enrolling in the Lewis & Clark Law School where she graduated cum laude, earning her Juris Doctor in 2009. Between her time at law school and beginning her pratice she worked as a high school teacher and volunteered in schools across the region, educating students on the basics of the judicial system.

After a stint as a high school teacher and working in pro bono legal work Fagan became an associate with Ater Wynne in Portland.

Political career
In 2011 Fagan was elected to the David Douglas School Board in eastern Portland, serving for three years before running for 51st District of the Oregon House of Representatives. Fagan defeated Republican incumbent Patrick Sheehan. During her time within the State House, she served as the chair of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Government Effectiveness. She was also the vice-chair of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. During her early political career, she was an advocate for sidewalk construction and pedestrian safety.

Fagan was elected to the 24th District of the Oregon State Senate during the 2018 elections; she currently chairs the Committee on Housing and Development and serves on the Committee On Healthcare.

Economy and labor
During the Coronavirus pandemic, Fagan voted to authorize unemployment benifits for employees working less than full time. Fagan also supported a bill in 2019 that would establish 12 weeks of paid medical leave for workers. During the same year Fagan supported HB 2016 which provided additional priviliges to labor unions in bolstering worker participation. In 2020 she was endorsed by the Oregon AFL-CIO, the Oregon LIUNA affiliate and the Oregon Education Association during the Democratic primary and the general election for Secretary of State. In 2015-2016 the Oregon Chamber of Commerce provided Fagan with a 27% rating.

Enviorment
During her time within the House, Fagan was supportive of several key environmental bills, receiving a 100% from rating from the Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV). She supported SB 1547 Coal Transition and Clean Electricity Plan which set goals for Oregon to go coal-free by 2030. In 2020, the Oregon League of Conservation Voters endorsed Shemia Fagan during the Secretary of State race.

Health care
In 2019 Fagan supported HB 3076 which established standards for non-profit hospitals in Oregon, demanding non-profit hospitals to adjust patients' costs on the basis of federal poverty guidelines and prohibiting non-profit hospitals from charging interest on medical debt.

Elections

 * 2012: Challenging incumbent Republican Representative Patrick Sheehan for the District 51 seat, Fagan was unopposed for the May 15, 2012 Democratic Primary, winning with 2,765 votes, and won the November 6, 2012 General election with 12,584 votes (52.8%) against Representative Sheehan.
 * 2014: Fagan won re-election to the House, defeating Republican Jodi Bailey with 52 percent of the vote. In 2016, she declined to run for re-election, citing "business and family reasons."
 * 2018: Fagan won the Democratic primary for state Senate after challenging incumbent Rod Monroe in a race dominated by housing issues. Fagan won the three-way race with 62 percent of the vote, and went on to an unopposed victory in the November general election.
 * 2020: Fagan won the Democratic primary for Secretary of State in a tough three way race.