Paul Damian Wells is a retired electrical engineer and machinist from Corvallis, Oregon. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps starting in 1978. Wells earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University (1984) and a graduate degree in electrical engineering from Portland State University. He previously worked as a design engineer and CNC machinist before retirement. Wells is a frequent Democratic primary candidate who ran for Oregon Secretary of State in 2024, losing in the Democratic primary.
Wells represents electoral reform advocacy more than traditional Democratic politics. His repeated candidacies since 1992 indicate long-term commitment to voting system reform and independent voter rights as core principles. His engineering background and Marine Corps service suggest technical and analytical approach to policy issues. Limited fundraising and campaign activity in 2026 race suggests he is not a serious challenger to Merkley, with primary campaign appearing motivated more by advocating for ranked choice voting and independent voter inclusion than by expectation of victory.