Both Sen. Robinson and son run for Senate #2

By Oregon Campaign Watch,

Press Release From Oregon Senator Art Robinson:

My son Noah and I have both filed to run for my position in the State Senate in 2024.

My application to run for re-election was submitted on September 14th. It was rejected by the Democrat Secretary of State, so Noah has now filed.

As you may be aware, there is an effort by the Democratic majority to prevent certain Republicans from re-running for the Senate. This effort is based on a law passed last year which was presented in a confusing manner, is unconstitutional, and will almost certainly be rejected by the courts.

The Democratic Senate President, supported by the Democratic Secretary of State has assumed the authority to prevent Republican Senators from running for re-election, at his sole discretion, if they attempt to deny quorum in cases of egregious bills.

The Oregon constitution requires a 2/3 majority of Senators to be present to pass laws. This was done to allow the minority party to serve as a check in extreme cases, by denying quorum. The voters are then supposed to have the authority at the next election of deciding if they approve of their senator’s actions and re-electing him if they so choose. This authority has been taken away from the voters and given to the Democratic Senate President – which he then used selectively in an attempt to toss out some Senators and not others.

During the 2023 legislative session, the Democrats pushed forward legislation which was so extreme that principled Republican Senators were forced to deny quorum. One of these bills was HB2002 which allowed, among other things, gender mutilation surgery on children (even without parental consent). When a law promotes castration of young boys and similar surgeries for young girls, it is necessary to do everything possible to stop it. Many Republicans joined this effort – although a compromise made later (which I strongly objected to) is only slightly better.

We think this was done deliberately to give the Democrats a chance to prevent re-election of the most principled conservative Senators.

My son Noah and I have worked closely together since he was a boy. Like myself, he is a PhD chemist. He has a Bachelors degree in chemistry from Southern Oregon University and a PhD from CalTech. We have worked together for decades on scientific research as well as many other things. Along with the rest of my family, we have worked together in the Oregon Senate.

If the Democrats prevent me from running and the voters choose to elect Noah instead, I will continue to work with Noah in the Senate.

It has been a privilege to serve as your Senator. I look forward to serving you for another term if the legal attack on Republican Senators can be stopped in time and if the voters choose to re-elect me. If I am unable to run, I hope they will consider electing Noah, so that our family can continue to work for all Oregonians in the Senate.