Maxine Dexter

She represents the 33rd district, which covers the Northwest District and Northwest Heights of Portland, as well as Cedar Mill, Oak Hills, and most of Bethany.

Dexter grew up in Bothell, Washington.

She received her bachelor's degree in political science and communication from the University of Washington, and her MD from that university's School of Medicine.

Maxine Elizabeth Dexter (née Johnson, born December 5, 1972) is an American physician and politician serving as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives.

Dexter served her medical residency in Aurora, Colorado, and moved to Portland with her husband in 2008.

She works as a pulmonologist with Kaiser Permanente in Hillsboro.

Dexter said she was inspired to run for office following the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearing, during which Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault.

She was appointed in June 2020 after the death of Mitch Greenlick.

She won the Democratic primary to succeed Greenlick on May 17, 2020, with 40% of the vote, defeating three other candidates, including Christina Stephenson.

Greenlick died on May 15, so Dexter was appointed to finish out his term a month later.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dexter treated patients with the disease, and wrote a letter urging Governor Kate Brown to close Oregon schools in April 2020.

On December 5, 2023, Dexter announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Oregon's 3rd congressional district.

Dexter supports the transition to a single-payer health care system.

She also supports greater protections for workers, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increased money for public housing, and stricter gun control.

In 2023 Dexter introduced a bill expanding access to the opioid antidote medication naloxone, allowing first responders to distribute the drug to members of the general public, and decriminalizing fentanyl test strips.

The bill was signed into law on August 8.