Brent Barton
Encyclopedia
Brent Barton is a Democratic
politician from the US state of Oregon
. He was elected in 2008 to the Oregon House of Representatives
, representing District 51, which encompasses parts of Clackamas County
and Multnomah County
, and includes all or part of the cities of Boring
, Clackamas
, Damascus
, Estacada
, and Oregon City
. In the 2010 election
, Barton gave up his seat in the House to run unsuccessfully for the Oregon State Senate
.
, where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science, and a master's degree in sociology in 2002. His father, William A. Barton
, has been considered one of the best lawyers in America in several areas of law, and is known for representing a plaintiff in a high-profile case against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland
.
While at Stanford, Brent served as an aide for Oregon Congresswoman Darlene Hooley
. He was also a White House
intern in 2000 between his sophomore and junior years. Barton went on to earn a JD
from Harvard Law School
, then returned to Oregon where he worked as a criminal prosecutor, volunteered as a high school teacher, and served on the board of directors of the Oregon Bus Project
. In 2007, he was hired at the Portland office of the Perkins Coie
law firm to work the litigation department.
In the 2009 session
, Barton served on the Judiciary and Consumer Protection committees, and as Vice-Chair of the Business and Labor Committee.
In 2010, Barton ran for the Oregon State Senate
seat in District 26 vacated by retiring Senator Rick Metsger
, but lost to Republican candidate Chuck Thomsen
47% to 53%.
Democratic Party of Oregon
The Democratic Party of Oregon, based in Portland, is the official Oregon affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. It is recognized by the state of Oregon as a major political party, along with the Oregon Republican Party...
politician from the US state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. He was elected in 2008 to the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
, representing District 51, which encompasses parts of Clackamas County
Clackamas County, Oregon
Clackamas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. As of 2010, the population was 375,992...
and Multnomah County
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
, and includes all or part of the cities of Boring
Boring, Oregon
Boring is an unincorporated community located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, on Oregon Route 212. It is approximately eight miles south of Gresham and about the same distance from Clackamas, both suburbs of Portland. The town is roughly twenty-two miles southeast from downtown...
, Clackamas
Clackamas, Oregon
Clackamas was a census-designated place in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 5,177 at the 2000 census. It is a suburb of Portland, Oregon.It is the location of Camp Withycombe, a military base...
, Damascus
Damascus, Oregon
Damascus is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated in 2004, the city is located east of Happy Valley and Interstate 205 and west of Boring. The area that later became the city had a population of 9,022 in 2000...
, Estacada
Estacada, Oregon
Estacada is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, about 30 miles southeast of Portland. The population was 2,695 at the 2010 census. -History:The Estacada post office opened in February 1904 and the city was incorporated in May 1905...
, and Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
. In the 2010 election
Oregon legislative elections, 2010
The 2010 elections for the Oregon Legislative Assembly determined the composition of both houses for the 76th Oregon Legislative Assembly. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were on May 18, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010...
, Barton gave up his seat in the House to run unsuccessfully for the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
.
Early life and career
Barton grew up in Oregon and attended Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science, and a master's degree in sociology in 2002. His father, William A. Barton
William A. Barton
William A. Barton is an American attorney in the state of Oregon. A personal injury lawyer and author, he successfully argued to allow litigation to proceed against the Vatican in the priest sex scandal, despite sovereign immunity that is normally applicable to foreign governments...
, has been considered one of the best lawyers in America in several areas of law, and is known for representing a plaintiff in a high-profile case against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland
The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It encompasses the western part of the state of Oregon, from the summit of the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean...
.
While at Stanford, Brent served as an aide for Oregon Congresswoman Darlene Hooley
Darlene Hooley
Darlene Kay Olson Hooley is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon who represented the state's . A native of North Dakota, she spent eight years teaching high school before entering politics when she was elected to the West Linn, Oregon city council in 1975...
. He was also a White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
intern in 2000 between his sophomore and junior years. Barton went on to earn a JD
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, then returned to Oregon where he worked as a criminal prosecutor, volunteered as a high school teacher, and served on the board of directors of the Oregon Bus Project
Bus Project
The Bus Project is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization that engages young people in progressive politics and catalyzes action around progressive issues within the U.S. state of Oregon. The Oregon Bus Project’s mission is to drive Oregon to be a progressive model for the nation...
. In 2007, he was hired at the Portland office of the Perkins Coie
Perkins Coie
Perkins Coie is an international law firm based in Seattle, Washington. It has been listed on the Fortune Magazine "100 Best Places to Work in America" for the past nine years. It is noted for its intellectual property, Labor and Employment, and Products Liability practice groups, and for its...
law firm to work the litigation department.
Political career
In 2008, Barton was unopposed for the Democratic nomination for House District 51 and faced incumbent Linda Flores in the general election. During the campaign Flores accused him of exaggeration regarding his time as criminal prosecutor while in school at Harvard Law. Barton defeated Flores 52% to 48% in the November general election to win the seat.In the 2009 session
Seventy-fifth Oregon Legislative Assembly
The seventy-fifth Oregon Legislative Assembly convened beginning on , for its biennial regular session. All of the 60 seats in the House of Representatives and half of the 30 seats in the State Senate were up for election in 2008; the general election for those seats took place on .Democrats took...
, Barton served on the Judiciary and Consumer Protection committees, and as Vice-Chair of the Business and Labor Committee.
In 2010, Barton ran for the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
seat in District 26 vacated by retiring Senator Rick Metsger
Rick Metsger
Richard Thomas "Rick" Metsger is a Democratic politician in the US state of Oregon who served in the Oregon State Senate from 1999 to 2011. He and was also a candidate for Oregon Secretary of State and Oregon State Treasurer...
, but lost to Republican candidate Chuck Thomsen
Chuck Thomsen
Charles William "Chuck" Thomsen is a Republican politician from the US state of Oregon. He currently serves in the Oregon Senate, representing District 26, which includes all of Hood River County and parts of eastern Multnomah County and northeastern Clackamas County.-Early life and career:Thomsen...
47% to 53%.