Won’t run

Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer says he won’t run for another term

He was elected to his deep-blue seat in 1996.

By ANDREW ZHANG

Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat who has represented Oregon in the House for nearly 30 years, said Monday that he would not run for another term.

“From my first minutes on Capitol Hill I have worked to promote a more civil and functioning Congress,” he said in a press release. “I firmly believe that when we focus on things that bring people together rather than divide them, that is when we make real progress.”

He was elected to his current seat representing Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District, which now spans from the heart of Portland eastward, in 1996 to fill a seat that fellow Democrat Ron Wyden left to take his current spot in the Senate. Given that it has a deep lean toward Democrats — the Cook Political Report rates it as D +22 — the seat will almost certainly stay in the hands of his party next year.

Recognized around the Capitol for wearing bowties as well as a bike pin on his lapel, Blumenauer founded and co-chairs the Congressional Bike Caucus and advocated for funding for nationwide bike infrastructure. A lawyer by training, he currently holds a coveted spot on the House Ways and Means Committee, the powerful tax-writing panel.

“It was a difficult decision to not run for re-election,” he said in the release, which touted his accomplishments in restructuring the tax code in the face of climate change and reforming federal cannabis law. “Particularly after the amazing successes of the last several years. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made.”

His retirement from Congress will cap a half-century in public service, including time in the state legislature, Portland’s city government and a regional board of commissioners. Blumenauer first shared the news with several local news outlets.

“Earl has been a fierce protector of our public lands, a staunch advocate for cannabis reform and a champion for livable communities where every family can thrive,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a release applauding Blumenauer for his service. “Earl and his bicycle pins will be greatly missed after the conclusion of this term, and I wish him and his family the best as he begins this next chapter.”

Other members of the House not seeking another term in 2024 include Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.), Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), John Sarbanes (D-Md.), and Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.). In addition, 11 House members are running for U.S. Senate seats.

“I have been fortunate to call Earl Blumenauer a mentor and a friend since I first ran for Congress,” fellow Oregon Democrat Suzanne Bonamici wrote on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, in response to the news. “The Portland region, the State of Oregon, and the country have all benefitted enormously from Earl’s vision and leadership.