Changes in Oregon Legislative Leadership Roles

Posted by Pam Leavitt on November 17, 2024

Senate Democrats Picks Leaders
Over the weekend, Oregon Senate Democrats announced the election of their leadership team and nominations for the presiding officer roles for the 2025 Legislative Session at a retreat.

Senate Democrats plan to nominate Senate President Designate Rob Wagner and Senate President Pro Tempore Designate James Manning on January 13, 2025, when the full Senate will vote on both positions. The Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore must receive a majority of votes from the Oregon Senate to be elected.  They finalized their 2025 Oregon Senate Democratic Leadership Team (Effective November 16, 2024):

• Senate Majority Leader: Kayse Jama (East Portland, Damascus, Boring)
• Senate Deputy Majority Leader: Wlnsvey Campos (Aloha)
• Senate Majority Whip: Sara Gelser Blouin (Albany, Corvallis, South Salem & surrounding areas)
• Senate Majority Whip: Lew Frederick (N/NE Portland)
• Senate Assistant Majority Leader: Janeen Sollman (Hillsboro
• Senate Assistant Majority Leader: Khanh Pham (NE/SE Portland)

House Republican Leader Will Not Seek Leadership Role  
Oregon House Minority Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) will not seek re-election as the leader of the Oregon House Republican caucus, he announced last week.  Helfrich, who has served as the House Minority Leader since September 2023, released the following statement explaining his decision:

“Today, I am announcing my intention to not seek re-election as leader of the Oregon House Republican caucus. This week, as I laid my father to rest, I found myself contemplating what truly matters in life. For me, it’s the unwavering love of family. When I took on the responsibility of leading our party last September, we faced the challenge of not only preserving the gains we had achieved but also expanding our reach across Oregon. I am proud to say that we rose to that challenge.”

Representative Lisa Reynolds Appointed to the Senate
State Representative Lisa Reynolds, MD (D – Washington County) was selected to fill the vacancy in Senate District 17 by the Multnomah and Washington County commissioners. The district was previously represented by Treasurer-elect Elizabeth Steiner, MD.  Reynolds, a Democrat, was re-elected to her third term in the Oregon House of Representatives last week and represents the Washington County communities of Bethany, Oak Hills, Cedar Mill, and parts of Beaverton and Hillsboro. She previously represented West Portland from 2021 to 2023. Senate District 17 encompasses both areas.

Posted in Advocacy on the Move, Oregon Advocacy.