As Chair of the Multdems Rules Committee from 2021 to 2025, Mike has spearheaded an overhaul of the Bylaws and Standing Rules to bring them in line with changes to State Law. 

As the Multnomah Democrats Second Vice Chair 2019-2021, Mike helped pave the way for the Multnomah Democrats to conduct regular business meeting during the COVID crisis. With their leadership, the Multnomah Democrats carry out regular business meetings with even greater participation than before.

From 2017-2019 Mike served as Technology Officer for the Multnomah Democrats. In that capacity, Mike established the Tech Team, rebuilt the Party's website (twice!), and migrated to a new email system. Most importantly, the Tech Team launched a new, voter-focused site, MultDemsVote.com, to serve as one-stop shopping for information on the candidates and ballot measure positions the Party supports.

Last but not least, as an officer Mike was part of the team that helped to build two legislative supermajorities, elect Governor Brown to a second term, win the Secretary of State race for Shemia Fagan, and secure Oregon's electoral votes for Joe Biden.

Aside from political activities, Mike works as a Network Analyst. He holds Masters degrees in both Mathematics and Computer Science specializing in theory and machine learning. While earning those he discovered that every Suzanne set has an infinite number of elements. His wife, Liv Rainey-Smith, is a World Fantasy Award winning woodblock printmaker and illustrator. 

Bold Caucus Leadership

On SCC, Mike works for what he believes; to bring Democrats together even on difficult stages such as the issues surrounding guns. 

As Chair of the Gun Owners Caucus Mike pushed for gun safety laws focused on suicide prevention, domestic violence prevention, and mass shooting prevention, by addressing root causes. 

In 2024, Mike led the Gun Owners Caucus through an endorsement process that endorsed candidates in tough and marginal districts: CD 5, SD 12, SD 27, HD 1, HD 4, HD 5, and HD 57. In addition Mike not only endorsed the Democrat Hoa Nguyen in HD48 during a tough primary, but made a television ad for Nguyen to help secure her second term. 

As HD 46 ADL Mike hepled to coordinate GOTV, particularly focusing on the intersection of HD 46 and CD 5. Finally and most importantly, Mike did the work to elect Democrats by dropping hundreds of slate cards and text banking thousands of voters.

In 2022 he used his Caucus Chairmanship to highlight candidates statewide, and channelled volunteers to canvassing efforts in Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, Hood River,  and Wasco Counties. 

In 2020 Mike spearheaded a letter and postcard campaign to appeal to gun-owning Democrats and NAVs in several legislative races. One of those races was HD31, where we sent over 2300 letters and postcards to gun owners on behalf of Rep. Brad Witt. Rep. Witt won that race by about 500 votes.  

Before election to Chair of the Gun Owners Caucus, Mike wrote a resolution supporting a permit-to-purchase gun safety law which the Gun Owners Caucus endorsed. This resolution advanced to SCC where it was adopted as 2019-01. These ideas formed the basis for Senate Bill 604. 

Overcoming Impasses

The Q2 2019 SCC meeting was a nightmare. The meeting spanned three sessions as factions battled over the DNC Delegate Selection Plan. Mike made the motion to allow DPO to use STAR Voting for the delegate elections. This broke the impasse and allowed the meeting to finally conclude, three months after it had started.

Fighting for Progressive Causes

Mike will fight for preserving the Green New Deal, establishing Health Care for All Oregonians, enshrining reproductive autonomy and LGBTQIA rights into state and federal law, restoring the timber levies that used to pay for rural services, and passing evidence-based gun safety laws.  

A 36 County Strategy

Democrats have a lot to celebrate this year, but there's still work to be done. Statewide the Democrats are still weak in less urban areas, including East Multnomah County. This isn't for lack of opportunity. We had great candidates in HD52 and SD26 that couldn't get money or volunteers from the PACs, costing us - Multnomah County - two more possible Democratic seats. The situation down ballot is better, but only marginally. 

As a Caucus Chair Mike tried to make the situation better, but there's only so much the Caucuses can do. It's up to County parties to do the heavy lifting, and it's up to the SCC to help them as much as we can. 

As an SCC member Mike has formed relationships with Democrats all over the State, from Grant County to Coos Bay. He knocked on doors and text banked from Hood River to Roseburg. We know there are great Democrats out there and that they can make great gains with some logistical help. Mike will continue to push for better organizing and better funding for Democrats in "red" areas. 

The Bus Project was the right idea; we can and should expand on that.