Oregon Watchdog: House Democrat Leadership Team

House Majority Office

November 14, 2008

Hunt Will Be House Democrats’ Nominee For Speaker
Mary Nolan Named House Majority Leader for 2009 Session

House Majority Leader Dave Hunt (D-Clackamas County) will be the House Democrats’ nominee for Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives following today’s House Democratic Caucus meeting. Rep. Mary Nolan (D-Portland) will assume Hunt’s current role as majority leader.

Democrats, who will hold 36 seats in the 2009 session, unanimously selected Hunt to be their choice for Speaker to replace U.S. Senator-elect Jeff Merkley. Thirty-one votes are required to win election for Speaker which will be held on January 12, the first day of the 2009 session.

“I am honored to be my colleagues’ choice to be Oregon’s next House Speaker,” said Hunt, who was first elected to the House in 2002. “Our job in the 2009 session is to strengthen our economy and protect the gains we made in 2007-08 in education, health care, public safety, renewable energy, infrastructure, and fiscal responsibility. Our focus will be on helping Oregon families make it through these tough times and I am pleased to have such a strong group of colleagues by my side.”

Nolan, who was first elected in 2000, said House Democrats are honored by the strong show of support from Oregon voters, and pledged to get to work immediately on the critical issues facing Oregon.

“This is a diverse and talented group of people who have been charged by the voters of Oregon to take on our economic challenges and move us to a better future,” said Nolan. “House Democrats are ready to lead all of Oregon forward.”

House Democrats also elected these members to their Leadership Team:
Speaker Pro-Tem: Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay)
Majority Whip: Peter Buckley (D-Ashland)
Deputy Majority Whip: Tina Kotek (D-Portland)
Assistant Majority Whip: Tobias Read (D-Beaverton)
Assistant Majority leader (policy): Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis/Philomath)
Assistant Majority Leader (political): Phil Barnhart (D-Eugene)