U.S. Sen. Merkley’s Clatsop County town hall 2026 

Published 8:11 am Monday, January 19, 2026

A smaller crowd than last year but similar calls for change

About 125 people filed into the Warrenton High School gym just after dusk on a picture-perfect sunny and cloudless, blue-skied Saturday that felt more like spring than winter. The crowd, about half the size of last year’s town hall, still filled most of the folding chairs and rows of bleachers. They were there to see, ask questions and get answers from U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley. There were no hecklers. One uniformed Warrenton police officer stood silent in a back corner. Merkley’s stop in Clatsop County was No. 11 out of the 36 Oregon counties — he’s planning on hitting them all.

After the Pledge of Allegiance, Mark Kujala, chair of the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners, introduced the “roots and boots” senator. Merkley stepped onto the dais behind the podium and tossed out a question to the crowd. “Do you think we should save Social Security?”

After a healthy applause, and a reminder from Merkley to the group to “be respectful” of the speakers/questioners in the audience, he awarded a “spotlight” award to the Helping Hands Reentry Outreach Center. He likes to spotlight a local nonprofit organization at every town hall stop, he said. 

Founder and President Alan Evans and Chief Operating Officer Michael Blomquist accepted the folded U.S. flag and said they were honored to receive the award for his organization “that helps the homeless to achieve sustainability.” Evans said so far, that has been 600 people in five Oregon counties.

“What you have done, and your work, it’s just beautiful,” said Merkley.

Next came the Q&A portion of the evening. 

The questions and answers of the evening were similar to those at the 2025 town hall with Merkley and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici. 

Last year, much of the hourlong town hall focused on iterations of the same question to the two lawmakers, both Democrats: What are you doing to push back?

“Over the years, I’ve looked at governments in other countries and watched the architecture of the Republic collapse because the separation of powers disintegrated,” Merkley said at the 2025 event. “I never thought I would see it in the United States of America. It is happening right now.”

Saturday’s event struck a similar tone as people asked questions in a lottery style manner. Over and over again, they looked to Merkley for answers about what could be done. What could be done about this administration, about the killing of Renée Good, about ICE, about tariffs, about Greenland. They looked to Merkley for answers or instructions or a roadmap.

He empathized, acknowledged their frustrations. Protest, he said, hold your representatives accountable, call, write, knock on their doors. And in the next election — if there is one and if it hasn’t been compromised — vote.

“I’m a proud Democrat,” the first questioner said. “And I’m terrified and angry. Very angry. We knew what Project 2025 was … and a lot of the damage is non-replaceable … . I want to know, what is the game plan for the resistance?”

Merkley answered, referring to the long, over 22-hour speech he made on the U.S. Senate floor about President Trump’s “aggressive takeover of our republic,” and by referring to action items from one of his handouts, “Ring the Alarm Bells – The Ten Rules of Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook.”

Merkley said there are two powerful ways to counteract Trump’s aggression. 

“One is citizen protest,” he said. “That is why the ‘No Kings’ was so important.”

Merkley said he understands why people are so upset, just like everybody else, he has witnessed things outside of what he ever imagined. 

“I never thought I’d see people storming the Capitol. … I never thought I’d see a president in the oval office trying to replace checks and balances with authoritarianism.” He talked about the lawlessness of bulldozing the East Wing and replacing it with a ballroom. 

“I want to be the one to press the plunger to (take down) his Louis XIV ballroom.”

Merkley said the second step is voting in the next election — “if elections are being held.” Or are being held “but not  compromised.”

The next question was about the shooting of Renée Good by a U.S. Immigration and Enforcement officer and the ensuing investigation.

“I applaud those folks who resigned,” said Merkley, referring to the six federal prosecutors who resigned last week because the Department of Justice wanted them to investigate Good’s widow.

Merkley also talked about Sen. Mark Kelly, and how the president has targeted him for making a video instructing military members to disobey orders if they are told to do something that is against the law. 

“The president has an enemies list and he uses it to go after people like Mark Kelly.”

Merkley talked about Trump’s Truth Social post, the one where he called Kelly and the others in the video “traitors and they should be hung.”

He said he didn’t know of a way to turn the situation around.

“I don’t think there’s a way to force the Department of Justice to do what is right.”

Another question was from “Chris.” He said there are parallels between what’s happening today and what happened in Nazi Germany. What can we do about the people in Trump’s orbit, like Stephen Miller (U.S. Homeland Security Advisor) and (Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget) Russell Vought, the chief architect of Project 2025 — what do you do about them?

“They confirmed all these folks that are not qualified for the job,” Merkley acknowledged. It basically is a conundrum, he said.

“What do you do about it?” 

One question came from ninth grader Vanessa Rodriguez Mandujano, 15, who attends Warrenton High School. She asked about “the recent $7.5 million cuts to the Student Success Act and its potential impact on workforce development … what is being done to offset these cuts?”

Merkley said The House is taking that up for debate in the coming week. “They cut it and it wasn’t legally constitutional for them to do that,” he said.

Merkley asked for a show of hands of the teachers in attendance and applauded them. “Our schools are stressed,” he said. He encouraged parents and teachers to “take away the cell phones” during school hours,” as one way to help.

The next questioner stood. “We have a president who says he can do anything he wants. I have no confidence we will be able to make it until the next election. … There’s a fire burning and I want to know what we can do about it.”

The crowd applauded and Merkley answered, again urging people to participate in “massive citizen protests.” And to hold elected officials accountable. “Call, write them, go to their offices.” He added another course of action: “Join an affinity group … a grassroots action group. They are very, very active and wanting for you to join them. And meanwhile, those in office,” he said, “have to do everything they can across the aisle.”

One attendee called out: “What are you doing?” 

Merkley said it is hard because the Republicans have been such staunch loyalists to the Trump administration. But, he said, “they are starting to be less loyal. You’re starting to see fractures.” It’s a hopeful sign, he said, because “you need bipartisan power to make a difference in this administration.”

The next question was about ICE and the apparent and rampant lawlessness of many ICE agents — that they don’t wear identifying clothing, that they wear masks.

“I have a bill that says they have to wear a personal identifier and they can’t wear a face mask,” said Merkley to a round of applause. There’s a name for people who are doing this and allowing it to happen, he said. “It’s called fascism. We have to stop the fascism that’s going on now.”

Merkley again talked about the uphill battle in getting bipartisan support for such a thing. “You either have to get their cooperation — or you have to replace them. They have to stop being loyalists and start being senators — and stand up for the Constitution.”

Merkley called Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill a “Big Ugly Betrayal” and said, among other things, it cut nutrition and it will put the U.S. in debt by $30 trillion.

‘Our next chance on ICE,” he said “is to not give them any funding in the upcoming Homeland Security bill.”

Another question asked if Jack Smith was going to be able to bring back his charges against the president, and will people in the current administration be held accountable when the president’s term is over?

Merkley said the Supreme Court’s decisions “are really doing damage.” He talked about the court giving a sitting president immunity — and the president giving the Jan. 6 rioters immunity.

“They have a president operating outside the law,” he said. And about others in the administration who may also be operating unlawfully? They are likely not worried. 

“They feel completely confident they would be pardoned.

“This is unbelievable,” Merkley said.  “If you were watching a movie and this was happening you would say — it’s not believable.”

The next question was about the government’s capability to track people via cell phones and other surveillance methods.  “We’re in danger,” they said.

Merkley agreed. “If you want to see what happens in a surveillance state, look at China,” he said. And “the surveillance state is alive and well in the U.S.”

Merkley encouraged people to opt out of facial recognition at the airport, which he said he is trying to put a stop to.

“It is a very real concern,” he said. “To me, this is a powerful encroachment on our freedom. That is why I’m spending a lot of time on this surveillance issue. … Is anybody else concerned about this surveillance state?”

The room applauded in answer.

The final question of the evening came from Seaside City councilor Tita Montero. “I want to talk about Greenland,” she said. “We are now probably the most hated country in the world.” She talked about how the U.S. has military bases in Greenland, “and we’re putting them in danger. What’s the plan in Congress? What are they going to do to change this course of action concerning Greenland — and tariffs?”

“I don’t believe my colleagues on either side of the aisle are going to go along with a snatch and grab of Greenland,” Merkley said. “I think this is going to be a reach too far.”

He went on to say that the only reason there is a Greenland situation is because of “the ego of the man in the gold gilded office. … And I hope we have bipartisan support on this.”

The wrap up

Merkley then talked about the importance of being active and aware — and also of practicing self care. 

“We all have to be intensely engaged,” he said, adding it’s also important to “take a break.”

He mentioned another handout available at the event. “The Oregon Treasure Quest” is a guide he put together of “treasures worth exploring.” He said his idea was to list “a cool thing to do in all 36 counties.

“We here in Oregon have the coolest paradise in the world.”

The treasure listed for Clatsop County is the shipwreck of the Peter Iredale.

At the end of the event, Merkley said one more thing before leaving the room.

“Take a break from the news, come back recharged — and let’s save our republic.”