Retired health executive will face off against Golden for Democratic nomination in May primary
By Steve Mitchell, Ashland.news
Denise Krause, a retired health executive and Rogue Valley Transportation District board member, officially announced her candidacy for the Oregon State Senate seat currently held by Democrat Jeff Golden Tuesday, Jan. 20, in front of a packed crowd of supporters at the Mountain Meadows Clubhouse in Ashland.
Introduced as a candidate who “brings fresh energy, proven expertise and a deep commitment to Southern Oregon,” Krause called for health care, government accountability, and grassroots political engagement during her half-hour speech.
She credited her upbringing in a small town and a 25-year career as a healthcare executive and professor of population health as the foundation for her outlook.
Krause told the audience that her parents ran the local newspaper in her hometown. Everyone in town knew her as the “editor’s kid,” she said.
“I’d be running around town, on my bike or on my horse with a dog at my side,” she said. Krause, who owns a ranch, told the audience that “some things never change.”
Several years later, Krause earned a doctorate in preventive medicine. While her father had been involved in politics, even making a bid for U.S. Congress, she had no aspirations to run for elected office.
She became active in local politics after retirement, including a pair of runs for Jackson County Commissioner, losing to Randy Sparacino in 2024 and Rick Dyer in 2022.
In 2024, she founded the nonpartisan group Jackson County For All, which put measures on the ballot that would have made county commissioner positions nonpartisan, increased the number of commissioners from three to five, and reduced the county commissioners’ salaries. While the measure to lower the commissioner’s salaries passed, the other two failed, which meant the pay-lowering measure would not take effect.
Krause said among the issues she wants to tackle is health care. She said Oregon needs to change the paradigm of health care.
Krause said the U.S. has a “disease care system,” rather than a health care system. Medical providers are rewarded for caring for sick patients, she said.
“The sicker, the better, because they make more money,” she said.
Health care providers should be rewarded for keeping people healthy, she said.
Krause said the state lacks a legislator with a health care background. The state has not had a legislator with a health care background since Alan Bates, a medical doctor and senator who died in 2016.
Universal health care for Oregonians would be her top priority if she were to get elected, she said.
She said Rep. Pam Marsh has worked on housing and could use help with health care.
“I am ready to be a strong partner working with Pam,” she said.
“Let’s recognize that we don’t actually have a healthcare system at all,” Krause said. “What we have is a disease-care system — providers, our medical providers, our hospitals, they’re rewarded for taking care of sick patients, the sicker, the better, because they make more money.”
She said Golden has worked on campaign finance reform during his two terms, but has not made any progress.
Krause also explained her decision to challenge Golden for his seat.
She said that she and Golden spoke together at functions and that during those events, Golden indicated he did not want to run for another term.
“I took him at his word,” she said.
She said that about six months ago, she told Golden that she was thinking about running, and he told her that he was on the fence. During that time, she checked in a couple of times more and later, after she had already filed, read in the newspaper that he had decided to run again.
“So I asked myself, ‘Should I drop out?’” she said. “It didn’t take me too long to decide. I had to be true. I have to follow my heart. So I’m in this, and I’m in it because it’s such an important time.”
Given the “unreasonable and horrific” policies coming out of Washington, Oregon cannot afford to do politics as usual, she said.
“It’s time to bring new energy, new ideas and new commitment to the state senate,” Krause said.
Email Ashland.news associate editor Steve Mitchell at stevem@ashland.news.
Related stories:
Letter: Despite Denise Krause’s claim, Jeff Golden’s work led to Oregon’s first law capping campaign contributions (Jan. 24, 2026)
Sen. Golden to seek another term amid ‘ongoing threat’ from Trump administration (Dec. 1, 2025)
Former Medford/Jackson County chamber CEO launches bid for Oregon Senate (Oct. 9, 2025)
Former Medford Chamber CEO Brad Hicks formally launched Oregon Senate bid Thursday (Oct. 16, 2025)
