A California timber baron who is the nation’s largest landowner has jumped into Oregon politics with big contributions to campaigns seeking to wrest control of state government from Democrats.

Sierra Pacific Industries contributed $200,000 in April to Betsy Johnson, the former Democratic state senator from Scappoose, who is running as an unaffiliated candidate for governor. It’s the third largest single contribution that makes up the more than $6.2 million Johnson has raised so far.

The company also gave $250,000 in February to Bring Balance to Salem, a political action committee formed late last year that has raised $1.6 million. The contributions have come primarily in large sums given by timber, construction and other companies.

Sierra Pacific is one of the four largest single givers, along with Oregon-based wood products companies The Swanson Group, Roseburg Forest Products, and Murphy Co. The PAC has hired former congressman Greg Walden, a Hood River Republican, as a consultant.

Oregon is one of five states that has no limits on the amount of contributions from individuals, companies, unions, groups or other entities. An exception: contributions to congressional campaigns are controlled by the Federal Election Commission.

Sierra Pacific Industries is owned by Archie Aldis “Red” Emmerson, 93, who lives in Redding, California. The company’s total land holdings are 2.3 million acres in California, Washington state and Oregon, according to The Land Report, a Dallas-based magazine covering property ownership.

The magazine’s winter issue reported Emmerson topped the list of the largest landowners in the United States. He moved up from third place following the October purchase of Eugene-based Seneca Sawmill Co. The deal included 175,000 acres of timberlands in southwestern Oregon, the magazine reported.

The magazine’s cover featured a picture of Emmerson with the headline “America’s Largest Landowner.” The article said Emmerson’s company also owns 18 sawmills and eight renewable biomass energy cogeneration facilities.

Born in Grand Ronde, Emmerson went to high school in Omak in eastern Washington before moving to California and working in the timber and sawmill industry, eventually joining his late father, Curly Emmerson, to found Sierra Pacific in 1949.

State campaign finance records show that Sierra Pacific began making contributions in February with a donation to the Bring Balance to Salem PAC. Johnson’s campaign for governor received the second-largest amount — $200,000 — on April 4.

Both campaigns aim at curtailing Democratic political dominance in Oregon state government.

Democrats control the governorship, both chambers of the Legislature, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, both U.S. senators and four of five seats in Oregon’s delegation to the U.S. House.

Johnson is seeking to become the first non-Democrat elected governor since Vic Atiyeh in 1982.

Bring Balance to Salem has only spent just over $15,000 so far — with $10,000 going to Hood River-based Walden Consulting. The firm is listed in December as being run by Walden and his wife, Mylene Simons-Walden, according to business records filed with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office.

The former congressman’s sister-in-law, Marta Simons, also of Hood River, is listed as the group’s treasurer. She earlier served as treasurer for Walden’s Victory Fund PAC during his time in Congress.

The PAC lists its address in Portland. The address is for Postal Annex+, an outlet of the commercial mail drop chain.

Sierra Pacific is moving into its third generation of family ownership. According to Federal Election Commission records, Red Emmerson is now the chairman emeritus. His sons, George and Mark, serve as company president and chairman/chief financial officer.

Emmerson’s daughter, Carolyn Dietz, is president of the company’s philanthropic Sierra Pacific Foundation, according to the foundation’s website.

Red, George and Mark Emmerson have all given frequently to Republican, timber industry and other political action committees, according to the FEC. Red Emmerson gave to the successful presidential campaigns of George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004. He also gave to John McCain and Mitt Romney, the Republican nominees in 2008 and 2012, who both lost to President Barack Obama.

All three contributed to Donald Trump, the Republican who won the presidency in 2016 and lost to President Joe Biden in 2020.

Mark and George Emmerson have contributed to campaigns of U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby. Both have contributed to Schrader’s reelection, where he is facing a primary challenge from Jaime McLeod-Skinner, of Terrebonne. Schrader has also received contributions from Andrea Howell, Sierra Pacific’s corporate affairs director.

U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, has received $4,000 in the past two elections.

The company’s PAC has also contributed $15,000 to Eugene-based Community Action Network PAC, which backs conservative candidates. Its treasurer is former Oregon Republican Party Treasurer Dennis Morgan.

Sierra Pacific also gave $2,500 each to the campaigns of Tim Freeman and Tom Kress, who are running for different seats on the nonpartisan Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Eugene City Council candidate Jennifer Soloman received $1,500.