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Oregon Senate Republicans​

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1950
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-323, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email the Senate Republican Leader:  Sen.BruceStarr@oregonlegislature.gov
Email Press Inquiries:  Ashley.Kuenzi@oregonlegislature.gov


 
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​​​​​​Senate Republicans Are Fighting to Fix the Oregon You Love​

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

After decades of one-party rule, Oregon has become less affordable, less safe, and less accountable to you. Families are struggling to keep up, and Democrats in Salem keep doubling down on failure instead of making the changes that are required to fix this state.

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

​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:

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Supporting Data:

  • ​CNBC ranked Oregon 39th for business; down 11 spots in one year.
  • “Cost of Doing Business” rank dropped from 34th to 43rd.
  • 11,000+ layoffs reported since the start of 2024, averaging over 600 per month; comparable to the Great Recession.
  • Oregon drivers face the 4th highest gas prices in the nation.
  • D- cost of living score.
  • Oregon has the 5th most expensive childcare.
  • Oregon is the 4th most difficult state to save money.​

​​Knowing that families are working harder than ever just to make ends meet, Democrats passed a $4.3 billion transportation tax increase that we don't need and taxpayers don't support. It’s time for leaders who care more about making life more affordable for Oregonians than serving their special interests.​

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Supporting Data:

  • The Governor’s goal: 36,000 new homes per year.​
  • Reality:
    • 17,697 residential permits in 2023.
    • 14,270 in 2024.
    • 11,184 expected in 2025.
  • Oregon earned an “F” for housing affordability, ranking 45th in the nation.
  • Oregonians need the 3rd highest income in America to buy a “typical” home.​
  • Oregon has the nation’s 2nd tightest housing market.

​​​Governor Tina Kotek and her Democrat supermajority promised bold action and results on housing​. Instead, their policies delivered a full-blown housing crisis with no end in sight.

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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.​​​

​​​Billions of dollars spent. Nothing to show for it. Oregon’s approach to homelessness isn’t compassionate. It’s broken.

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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.

Republicans are fighting to make Oregon affordable, safe, and accountable again.​

​A Better Path Forward​

​​​Meet the Senate Republicans

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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.​​

 
  
  
Republican Leaders Press Governor Kotek to End Delay on $4.3B Transportation Bill as Bipartisan Concern Grows2025-10-27 Republican Leaders Press Governor Kotek to End Delay on $4.3B Transportation Bill as Bipartisan Concern Grows
Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr Congratulates Christine Drazan on Appointment to Oregon Senate2025-10-23 Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr Congratulates Christine Drazan on Appointment to Oregon Senate
Senate Republicans Mourn the Passing of Representative Hòa Nguyễn2025-10-9 Senate Republicans Mourn the Passing of Representative Hòa Nguyễn
Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr Congratulates Newly Elected House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer2025-10-2 Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr Congratulates Newly Elected House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer
Senate Democrats Force Through $4.3B Tax Hike, Ignoring Oregon’s Affordability Crisis2025-9-29 Senate Democrats Force Through $4.3B Tax Hike, Ignoring Oregon’s Affordability Crisis
Senate Democrats Reject Road Maintenance Funding Without New Taxes, Deny Voters a Voice2025-9-29 Senate Democrats Reject Road Maintenance Funding Without New Taxes, Deny Voters a Voice
Senate Republicans Release Interactive Map Showing Overwhelming Statewide Opposition to Tina Kotek’s $4.3B Transportation Tax Hike2025-9-23 Senate Republicans Release Interactive Map Showing Overwhelming Statewide Opposition to Tina Kotek’s $4.3B Transportation Tax Hike
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