Oregon Senate Republicans elect new leader, Knopp steps down

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon Senate Republicans announced a leadership change on Thursday with Sen. Tim Knopp (R-Bend) stepping down as Senate Republican Leader.

Sen. Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) was elected to take over the leadership position effective April 15.

“I want to thank Senator Bonham for stepping up to lead the Senate Republican Caucus,” Knopp said. “When I was elected Senate Republican Leader in 2021, I said that Senate Republicans had a great opportunity to showcase our ideas and vision. This contrasted with decades of failed Democrat policy in Oregon. Two years later, I’m proud to say we did just that. In 2022, voters ended the Democrat Supermajority. Our caucus came together and stood our ground during the 2023 Session which resulted in a historically bipartisan 2024 Session. This proved what I’ve said the from the beginning: that coming together to produce good policy for the betterment of Oregonians – instead of one side driving an uncompromising, partisan agenda – is the best way to approach policymaking.”

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Leader-elect Bonham blamed the leadership change on voter-approved Measure 113. Based on the measure, Knopp and other Republicans were deemed ineligible for reelection by Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade after the senators accrued at least 10 unexcused absences during a Senate walkout in 2023.

“If not for Ballot Measure 113, Senate Republicans would not be making this change.
Senator Knopp has been a popular and well-respected leader within our Caucus. His
political instincts and leadership have been an asset we will continue to utilize as he
stays actively involved throughout this next election cycle. There is significant work to
be done to prepare for the ‘24 election and the ‘25 legislative session. I’m eager to get
to work,” Bonham said.

In a statement, Senate Democratic Leader Kate Lieber (D-Beaverton & SW Portland) welcomed the incoming leader, adding, “I know we are both on Team Oregon and can deliver big wins for communities in every corner of our state.”

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She continued, “I am also deeply grateful to Senator Knopp for his service to our state and his partnership. Even in difficult moments, I really appreciate that we could get together and solve problems. He is a leader who consistently stands up for what he believes in, and I greatly respect him as a colleague and a friend.”

Knopp was first elected to Oregon House District 54 in 1998 and helped pass HJR 17 in 1999, which was a referral to voters to enshrine the Kicker in the Oregon Constitution. Knopp also served on the committee behind the framework for Oregon’s current charter school law, chaired the House Business, Labor, and Consumer Affairs Committee in 2001 and served as House Majority Leader.

Knopp then turned to the nonprofit sector for eight years before returning to the legislature in the Senate.

The Republican caucus highlighted several of Knopp’s accomplishments in the Senate, including bills combatting human trafficking (SB 673, 2013); the SILVER ALERT system to find missing seniors; Erin’s Law, which increased the statute of limitations for rape from six to 12 years; the Equal Pay Act (HB 2005, 2017); and campaign finance reform, which was signed into law by Gov. Tina Kotek on Wednesday.

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