10/20/2026
If you know me, you know that posting about politics is VERY out of character for me. And yet, here I am making this post.
For over a decade, I have dedicated my professional life to caring for the people in my community.
In fact, I’ve spent much of my life working to make a difference in the lives of others. Always seeing the promise in someone when they might not be able to see it for themselves. Yet somewhere along the way, I’ve seemed to have developed a healthy distrust of politicians and political promises and I stopped trying to find the promise in any of them.
I’ve watched too many people campaign on compassion, integrity, and community, only to lose sight of those values once elected.
And quite frankly, the chaos, division, greed, hostility, and outright dysfunction of our current political climate have done little to restore my faith.
But recently, I’ve seen a small spark of something I haven’t felt in a very long time. Hope.
And that spark has come from Susan Fischer-Maki.
What stands out to me about Susan isn’t political rhetoric or carefully crafted campaign promises. It’s something far more meaningful: a genuine commitment to making our community a better place for the people who call it home.
I believe leadership should be rooted in service, not power. In compassion, not ego. In the willingness to listen, learn, collaborate, and do the difficult work of creating meaningful change. And I mean meaningful for the greater good of our community, not politicians pockets.
Somewhere along the way, we’ve allowed politics to become a competition between opposing teams, where winning seems to matter more than the well-being of the people being represented.
But when did we decide that we needed to choose sides instead of choosing a common goal?
That goal should be simple: increase healthier communities, stronger families, greater opportunities, and a future where everyone has the chance to thrive.
We don’t have to agree on everything to work toward something better. We don’t have to share a political affiliation to recognize integrity, compassion, and genuine leadership when we see it.
I want representatives who understand that public office is a responsibility, not a personal platform. People who remember that behind every policy, every decision, and every political argument are real human beings whose lives are affected.
Susan Fischer-Maki has given me a reason to believe that kind of leadership is still possible right here in Southern Oregon.
And in a political climate that has left so many of us feeling discouraged, disconnected, and exhausted, that matters.
I don’t want more political theater. I don’t want more division. I want people willing to roll up their sleeves, work together, and make our communities better than they found them.
Because at the end of the day, politics shouldn’t be about which side wins. It should be about whether the people we serve are better off because we showed up.
And that is the kind of leadership I’m willing to stand behind.
So here’s my challenge to each of you:
Don’t let frustration with politics turn into silence or apathy.
Pay attention.
Ask questions.
Get to know the people asking to represent you. Look beyond political labels and campaign slogans, and ask yourself who is genuinely committed to making life better for the people in our communities.
And most importantly, SHOW UP! Please show up and vote!
If you are a person who doesn't feel it's important to vote or votes according to how someone else tells them to vote, please make this the year that you make an independent decision that you want to see change in our community.
Show up for your neighbors. Show up for your community. Show up at the ballot box.
If you’re in Oregon’s House District 3, I encourage you to take the time to learn about Susan Fischer-Maki, listen to what she has to say, and decide for yourself whether her vision reflects the future you want for our community.
Because real change doesn’t begin with a political party. It begins with people who care enough to get involved.
Our communities deserve better. Our future deserves better. And we all have a role in making that happen.
Let’s seriously stop asking which side we’re on and start asking what kind of community we’re building together.
It's time for change.
I am Dawn M. Cogliser, MSN, FNP-BC, CARN-AP, CHC, FIAAN and I am voting for Susan Fischer-Maki for Oregon's 3rd House District
