The 2026 legislative session has concluded, and one thing remains clear: Oregonians are paying attention, and they are demanding better results from their state government.

Before the session began, more than 250,000 Oregonians signed a petition to refer a $4.3 billion transportation tax package to the ballot. The requirement was just 78,000 signatures. That level of engagement sent a strong message that families, workers, and small businesses are stretched thin and no longer willing to accept rising costs without accountability.

That message guided Senate Republicans throughout the session.

We stayed focused on what we hear every day from the people we represent. Oregonians want a state that is more affordable, more accountable, and more responsive to the challenges they are facing in their daily lives.​

What We Accomplished

Despite operating in a legislature controlled by a Democrat supermajority, Senate Republicans made meaningful progress.

We passed legislation that supports housing production, strengthens local infrastructure, and reduces unnecessary red tape so communities can grow and thrive. We supported policies that help family-owned businesses, improve public safety for vulnerable Oregonians, and give local governments more flexibility to meet the needs of their communities.

Just as importantly, we stopped a number of harmful proposals.

Senate Republicans protected taxpayers by preserving the full kicker refund. We pushed back on costly mandates that would have increased prices for Oregon families. We stopped additional gun control restrictions that would have burdened law-abiding citizens while doing little to improve public safety. We also helped ensure that Measure 114 is not implemented until the courts resolve serious constitutional questions.

These efforts mattered. In a one-party controlled legislature, stopping bad policy is often just as important as passing good policy.​​

What We Were Up Against

At the same time, the Democrat supermajority continued to advance policies that will make it harder for Oregon to compete and more expensive for families to get ahead.

They passed a $311 million tax increase (SB 1507) on businesses, farmers, and manufacturers—making it harder for Oregon to compete for jobs and investment. This will be felt by all Oregonians through higher prices, fewer job opportunities, and increased economic pressure in a state already struggling in these areas.

They also moved a certified gas tax referendum to a lower-turnout election, limiting public participation and avoiding accountability for a $4.3 billion tax package they knew was unpopular. That decision raised serious concerns about transparency and respect for the democratic process.

And far too many common-sense proposals never received a fair hearing. Ideas to improve education outcomes, strengthen public safety, and reduce costs for working families were set aside and instead the priority was a slate of policies driven by politics and special interests rather than results.

The Reality Facing Oregon

Oregon continues to face serious challenges.

Housing remains out of reach for too many families. The cost of living continues to rise. Many students are not being prepared for success after graduation. Public safety concerns persist in communities across the state. At the same time, state government continues to ask for more resources without delivering better outcomes.

Oregonians deserve better than this.​

Looking Ahead

This session was not the end of the conversation. It was the beginning of the next one.

The contrast heading into the 2026 election is clear. Oregonians are looking for leadership that prioritizes affordability, accountability, and real results. They are looking for a government that listens and takes responsibility for the decisions it makes.

Senate Republicans will continue to make that case.

We will continue to fight for policies that lower costs, strengthen communities, and restore balance to state government. We will continue to hold the majority accountable. And we will continue working to earn the trust of Oregonians who are ready for a different direction.

Oregon has the people, the resources, and the potential to succeed. What it needs is leadership willing to focus on results and put the interests of Oregonians first.

That is the commitment Senate Republicans will carry forward.​

Oregon in Crisis: The Decline Under One-Party Rule​

​We want Oregonians to thrive. But right now, the Democrat politicians who control every branch of state government are making it harder, not easier.

Oregon deserves better than being at the bottom of every list that matters. Here’s what decades of single-party leadership have done to our state:

Supporting Data:

Oregon loses a taxpayer every 1 hour and 16 minutes. That's right. ​Oregon is not losing people because of a lack of beauty. We are losing them because living here keeps getting more expensive with nothing to show for it. Our economy is unsustainable for families, workers, and small businesses, so they are voting with their feet.

​​
Knowing that families are working harder than ever just to make ends meet, Democrats still passed a $4.3 billion transportation tax increase that we don't need and taxpayers don't support. What's worse: they have signaled several times that more taxes are ahead if they have their way.

Senate Republicans are focused on making Oregon a place where businesses grow and workers succeed. ​But Tina Kotek and her Democrat supermajority must reverse course on nearly every approach they've taken on the state’s biggest issues. The 2026 session could have been a turning point for Oregon to abandon the failed policies that got us here. The Democrat supermajority instead perpetuated these problems.

Supporting Data:

Supporting Data:

• Oregon ranks 4th in the nation for homelessness per capita.
  
• Homelessness increased 16.5% from 2023 to 2024, the 5th largest spike in the nation.​​​

​​​Taxpayers spent $1.57 billion on homelessness in the Portland area since 2023, yet Oregon is still 4th highest in the nation for unsheltered chronic homelessness. It’s time for solutions that actually work, not more blank checks and “compassionate” policies that only create more suffering.

Supporting Data:

• Oregon ranks 47th in the nation in education​.
• Only 33% of 3rd–8th graders are proficient in math, a 7% drop from 2019.
• Only 42% are proficient in reading and writing, a 9% drop from 2019.
• Enrollment has declined five years in a row​.​​
  

Oregon students are being failed. State-level Democrat policies have gutted accountability, lowered standards, and left an entire generation of kids totally unprepared for the future. This is how Oregon's decline becomes permanent. Families deserve so much better.

​​​Meet the Senate Republicans

 

Oregon’s Job Losses: A Map of Failed Leadership

Oregon has lost thousands of jobs in recent years—and the trend is alarming. This interactive map shows where communities are being hit hardest. From shuttered mills to mass layoffs in manufacturing, construction, and hospitality​, every dot represents livelihoods lost under policies that make it harder to live, work, and build a future in our state.​​