Albany Democrat-Herald from Albany, Oregon • A6

A6 Friday, November 26, 2021 AlbAny GAzette-times 1 GARY A. WARNER Oregon Capital Bureau Up, in, around or out? a question facing doz- ens of incumbent lawmak- ers and scores of potential challengers after the Oregon Supreme Court on Monday removed legal obstacles to implementing new legisla- tive political districts. The justices dismissed two lawsuits against new maps for 60 House and 30 Senate seats approved by the Legis- lature and Gov. Kate Brown on Sept. 27.

The complaints filed in court claimed claimed Dem- ocrats had created districts that would build on their current supermajorities in Salem. At the end of the most recent session, Democrats had a 37-23 advantage in the House and 18 of the 30 mem- bers of the Senate. In its decision, the court ruled that the plan for dis- tricts that would go into ef- fect with the 2022 election was not illegal, even if it had a partisan lean. The ruling has acceler- ated the moving, jumping, switching and throwing-in- the-towel among incum- bents and would-be insur- gents. Each move has set off a domino effect among Dem- ocrats and Republicans.

If none of the announced candidates makes a political U-turn, the political power structure in state politics will have a significant makeover in January 2023. Oregon is guaranteed to have a new governor, one new Congress member, and a swarm of freshmen lawmakers in Sa- lem. Leadership in the House would have its biggest change in a decade. House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, told Willamette Week on Monday that she is mapping out a run for gover- nor. No Republican has won the top job since Vic Atiyeh in 1982.

If she wins the May 17 primary next year, Drazan could face-off with her polit- ical nemesis, House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland. The longest serving speaker in the history is running in the Democratic primary for governor. Regardless of the outcome of bids by Kotek and Drazan, they cannot run for governor and the Legislature at the same time. The House would have a new speaker and new minority leader when it con- venes in 2023. And two new faces will fill their House seats.

The lesser of two evils Republican leaders in the House and Senate had con- sidered a walkout to block a vote on redistricting maps drawn by Democrats. Oregon is one of the few states where a quorum to do any business is more than a simple ma- jority. two-thirds threshold meant at least 40 House members and 20 sen- ators had to be in attendance for the chambers to meet. If all Republicans stayed away from the Capitol, redistrict- ing would grind to a halt. But the fail- ure to remap Oregon in light of the 2020 U.S.

Census would cause a clause in the state constitution to kick in, sending the mapmaking responsibility for legislative seats to Secretary of State Shemia Fagan. Prior to her election in 2020, Fagan was a Democratic state senator from Portland. Republicans were faced with the choice of allowing maps they knew but like to pass in the Leg- islature or take their chances on the political potluck that Fagan would create. They chose the known outcome instead of the un- known. When the maps drawn by the majority Democrats were approved on a largely par- ty-line vote, Rep.

E. Werner Reschke, R-Klamath Falls, was among the most outspo- ken critics of the outcome. redistricting maps from Democrats harm Ore- democracy, Reschke said Sept. 27. Reschke had won his House District 56 seat three times, twice by margins above Redistricting had now chopped up his territory on the political map.

lines meander in and out with little rhyme or reason, splitting the city of Klamath Falls in Re- schke said in his statement. But giving Fagan a free hand would be worse, Re- schke said. By last Friday, Reschke had muted his dismay and come to accept the new political topography. He announced seek the new House Dis- trict 55 seat. A sweeping north-south swath, the new district starts at the southern end of the Bend city limits and includes the Deschutes County areas of Deschutes River Woods, Sunriver, Three Rivers and La Pine.

The district then mostly follows U.S. Highway 97 through Klamath County to the California border. move was just one of a chessboard full of recent political maneuvers. Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Lake Oswego, had been co-chair of the House Re- districting Committee that decided where to place Ore- new 6th congressional district the state received be- cause of population growth over the past decade.

Once the maps were approved, Sa- linas announced her intent to jump to Congress in the open seat. Rep. Ron Noble, R-Mc- Minnville, is also looking at the race. Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, has filed to run for governor as an inde- pendent.

The move not only caused Democratic leaders to strip her of her commit- tee assignments, but set off a small cascade of political moves in the area around As- toria in the northwest part of the state. Freshman Rep. Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook, said she would run for seat. Her political neighbor, Rep. Brad Witt, D-Clatskanie, won a narrow re-election in 2020 and under redistricting would face a pool of voters with additional Republicans.

He said to count him out for a re-election bid in 2022. Rep. Jeff Reardon, D-Port- land, opted to not seek an- other term soon after local Democrats passed him over for an appointment to fill seat following her election as secretary of state. Political friendships came into play with the new dis- tricts. Sen.

Michael Dem- brow, D-Portland, said he would not run in 2022 in a primary that would have pitted him against his friend, Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Port- land. Rep. Brian Clem, D-Sa- lem, resigned due to family health issues. He had al- ready signaled his intent to not seek re-election in a dis- trict that would have pitted him against his colleague, Rep.

Raquel Moore-Green, R-Salem. Veteran lawmak- ers simply decided the changing of the polit- ical guard was a good time to exit. Sen. Chuck Thomsen, R-Hood River, and Sen. Lee Beyer, D-Springfield, said they would end their long ca- reers in Salem.

decision was well-timed for the career of Rep. Daniel Bonham, R-The Dalles. Redistrict- ing lopped off most of his old political territory, which once stretched south to the northern edge of Deschutes County. try to make the jump to seat next year. Rep.

Mark Meek, D-Or- egon City, is also looking to switch chambers. Swirl of musical chairs in Oregon OREGON Become a member of Oregon State Credit Union Get less fee and more free. Be more than an account number; be a member of Oregon State Credit Union. Join today As a not-for-profit credit union, we have stockholders looking to profit off our members. Instead, we use our excess revenues to offer more products and services, like our Free Checking account that gives you access to your money without the hassle of monthly maintenance fees, transaction limits or minimum balance requirements.

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