1. Oregon Supreme Court bars senators in Republican-led walkout from reelection

State Sen. Suzanne Weber stood by her decision to participate in a Republican-led walkout in Salem last year following a ruling by the Oregon Supreme Court on Thursday that 10 senators who walked out are ineligible for reelection.

“When I did what I did, I was representing the people of my district, and I’m sorry it came to this, but I wouldn’t have done anything any different,” Weber told The Astorian. “And I think that there will come a time when political fortunes turn and that this will be a regrettable action.”

The Tillamook Republican who represents the North Coast previously defended her decision to join the walkout — the longest in Oregon’s history — as necessary to oppose what she considered “egregious” content in bills on abortion and gender-affirming care and gun control.

The Oregon Supreme Court ruled that Measure 113, which was approved by voters in 2022, disqualifies lawmakers with 10 or more unexcused absences from serving another term, rejecting an argument from Weber and other Republican senators that the measure’s ambiguous language would allow them to serve an additional term.

The court ruled that “voters would have understood the disqualification to apply to the term of office immediately following the term in which a legislator accrued 10 or more unexcused absences.”

Following the ruling, which prevents Weber from running for a second, four-year term in the Senate in 2026, the senator said she believes many voters misunderstood the measure when they voted for it.

“I think that the initiative process is something that needs to really be looked at,” she said. “Because 113 … was something that was not truly represented accurately to the people who signed those petitions.”

Weber will continue to serve in Salem until January 2027, and emphasized that her priorities have not changed in the wake of the court’s ruling.

“If I’m not there to represent the people of my district, who is?” she said. “And we have a lot of issues that really need to be dealt with in this short session in a short amount of time. And I will be there because I feel that it is important to represent the people of my district.”

Weber also said she will look to find a successor to run in her place in 2026.

“When I was the mayor, I was always looking for someone who would adequately lead the city forward in a progressive way, and I think I found that person in Aaron Burris,” she said of the Tillamook mayor. “And when I left my House seat, Cyrus Javadi was the logical person, and we had talked about it. I will actively pursue several people to run for my position.”

Mary Hunter, the chair of Clatsop County Democrats, was critical of Weber’s decision to participate in the walkout and emphasized voters’ intent with Measure 113.

“Oregonians overwhelmingly passed Measure 113 to make sure our legislators show up to do their jobs,” Hunter wrote in a text message to The Astorian. “Weber knew the law and knew the consequences, and I’m sure that walkout was partly intended to test these new limits. The limits have now been tested, unanimously and unambiguously.

“We are encouraged that the North Coast will have an opportunity in the near future to elect someone who actually wants to show up and do the job.”