Mary Nolan (Oregon politician)
Encyclopedia
Mary Nolan is a Democratic
member of the Oregon House of Representatives
, representing District 36 (formerly District 11) since 2001. Nolan was in the first class of women admitted into Dartmouth College
, from which she graduated magna cum laude in mathematics
. On July 5, 2011, Nolan announced that she would be a candidate in the May 2012 election for Portland City Council
, challenging incumbent commissioner Amanda Fritz
.
, the then-House Majority Leader, was nominated Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. The Democratic Caucus then nominated Nolan as the new majority leader. She was the House Majority Leader in the Oregon House of Representatives
from November 2008 until November 2010. In November 2010, the House Democratic Caucus did not re-elect Nolan to any leadership position.
According to The Oregonian
, Nolan votes with Democrats 96.77% of the time, while having a 1.08% absence record. After Nolan voted "no" on House Bill 2001, a piece of legislation that would increase transportation taxes by $300 million a year in 2009, The Oregonian reported that the move could mean that she may be planning to run for another public office like Mayor of Portland or City Council because of what it meant for environmentalists who had opposed the transportation bill.
endorsed Nolan for her re-election campaign in House District 36. The Willamette Week endorsed Nolan in past elections as well.
as preexisting condition for coverage, underwriting or rating purposes. The bill passed 59–0 in the house with 1 legislative member (Democrat Brian Clem
) being excused from voting. The bill later passed the Senate with a 28–0 record with 2 members (Democrats Alan Bates
, and Bill Morrisette
) not voting.
veterans during World War II
. The resolution passed the Senate with a 30–0 vote, and passed the house with a 57–0 vote.
is taking only small, $50 donations.
, 11th district, 2000
Oregon House of Representatives, 36th district, 2002
Oregon House of Representatives, 36th district, 2004
Oregon House of Representatives, 36th district, 2006
industry advisory council. On February 3, 2010, it was announced that Nolan endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate, and former Governor of Oregon
John Kitzhaber
. The Kitzhaber campaign released a statement by Nolan on her endorsement for Kitzhaber and it read:
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of 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 36 (formerly District 11) since 2001. Nolan was in the first class of women admitted into Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, from which she graduated magna cum laude in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. On July 5, 2011, Nolan announced that she would be a candidate in the May 2012 election for Portland City Council
Government of Portland, Oregon
The Government of Portland, Oregon, a city in the U.S. state of Oregon, is based on a city commission government system. Elected officials include a Mayor, a City Council, and a City Auditor. The mayor and commissioners are responsible legislative policy and oversee the various bureaus that...
, challenging incumbent commissioner Amanda Fritz
Amanda Fritz
Amanda Fritz is a retired registered psychiatric nurse and politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. Before being elected to Portland's City Council in 2008, Fritz was known as a neighborhood activist, a critic of City Hall, and a seven-year member of the Portland Planning Commission...
.
Political career
On November 11, 2002, after Nolan won re-election for her second term, she was named the assistant Democratic leadership. Before the 2009 legislative session, Dave HuntDave Hunt (Oregon politician)
Dave Hunt is an American politician in the state of Oregon. A Democrat, he is the State Representative for District 40 of the Oregon House of Representatives. He was elected House Majority Leader for the 2006–2008 session, succeeding Minority Leader Jeff Merkley, who was chosen as Speaker...
, the then-House Majority Leader, was nominated Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. The Democratic Caucus then nominated Nolan as the new majority leader. She was the House Majority Leader in 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....
from November 2008 until November 2010. In November 2010, the House Democratic Caucus did not re-elect Nolan to any leadership position.
According to The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
, Nolan votes with Democrats 96.77% of the time, while having a 1.08% absence record. After Nolan voted "no" on House Bill 2001, a piece of legislation that would increase transportation taxes by $300 million a year in 2009, The Oregonian reported that the move could mean that she may be planning to run for another public office like Mayor of Portland or City Council because of what it meant for environmentalists who had opposed the transportation bill.
Endorsements
During the 2008 elections, the Willamette WeekWillamette Week
Willamette Week is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Portland, Oregon, United States. It features reports on local news, politics, sports, business and culture....
endorsed Nolan for her re-election campaign in House District 36. The Willamette Week endorsed Nolan in past elections as well.
Accusations
On February 10, 2010, Jon Chandler, a lobbyist who worked on the "No on Measures 66 and 67" campaign, accused Nolan of threatening them after she left a message on his voicemail. Chandler claimed that in the message, Nolan alluded to her getting him fired from his job. In the message Nolan said, "I somehow managed to miss your retirement announcement. When did you decide you were going to drop out of the lobbying business? Let me know if there’s going to be a farewell party. I certainly wouldn’t want to miss it." Nolan said the message was not a threat, and that she thought Chandler was making a mistake by working for the "No" campaign.Committee assignments
2009 Regular Session- Conference Committee On HB 2227, Chair
- Land Use Committee, Chair
- Legislative Administration Committee
- Rules Committee
- Session Schedule Committee
Firearms
On March 14, 2003, Nolan introduced a bill that would make it a crime to possess a gun while on a public bus.Health care
During the 2010 legislative session, Nolan sponsored House Bill 3631 that prohibits an insurer from classifying injuries sustained from sexual violenceSexual violence
Sexual violence occurs throughout the world, although in most countries there has been little research conducted on the problem. Due to the private nature of sexual violence, estimating the extent of the problem is difficult...
as preexisting condition for coverage, underwriting or rating purposes. The bill passed 59–0 in the house with 1 legislative member (Democrat Brian Clem
Brian Clem
Brian L. Clem is a Democratic member of the Oregon House of Representatives, representing District 21 . He was first elected in 2006...
) being excused from voting. The bill later passed the Senate with a 28–0 record with 2 members (Democrats Alan Bates
Alan Bates
Sir Alan Arthur Bates CBE was an English actor, who came to prominence in the 1960s, a time of high creativity in British cinema, when he demonstrated his versatility in films ranging from the popular children’s story Whistle Down the Wind to the "kitchen sink" drama A Kind of Loving...
, and Bill Morrisette
Bill Morrisette
Morrisette has focused on education in the legislature; as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives in 2001, he sat on the education committee, and he chaired the Senate education committee during the 2003 session. He chaired the Senate Health and Human Services Committee during the 2005...
) not voting.
Veteran affairs
On February 23, 2010, Nolan voted in favor of Senate Concurrent Resolution 22 that recognizes the service of United States Merchant MarineUnited States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
veterans during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The resolution passed the Senate with a 30–0 vote, and passed the house with a 57–0 vote.
Campaign Contributions
Mary Nolan has taken and continues to take large contributions from PACs that dwarf her individual donations while her opponent Amanda FritzAmanda Fritz
Amanda Fritz is a retired registered psychiatric nurse and politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. Before being elected to Portland's City Council in 2008, Fritz was known as a neighborhood activist, a critic of City Hall, and a seven-year member of the Portland Planning Commission...
is taking only small, $50 donations.
Electoral history
Oregon House of RepresentativesOregon 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....
, 11th district, 2000
- Mary Nolan (D) - 18,008
- Joan Gardner (R) - 7,752
Oregon House of Representatives, 36th district, 2002
- Mary Nolan (D) - 16,092
Oregon House of Representatives, 36th district, 2004
- Mary Nolan (D) - 25,876
- Joe H. Tabor (LLibertarian Party (United States)The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
) - 3,684
Oregon House of Representatives, 36th district, 2006
- Mary Nolan (D) - 20,344
- Frank Dane (L) - 3,520
Other activities
Nolan is the chair of the NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
industry advisory council. On February 3, 2010, it was announced that Nolan endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate, and former Governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
John Kitzhaber
John Kitzhaber
John Albert Kitzhaber is the 37th Governor of Oregon. He served as the 35th Governor of Oregon from 1995 to 2003 and became the first person to be elected to the office three times when he was re-elected to a non-consecutive third term in 2010...
. The Kitzhaber campaign released a statement by Nolan on her endorsement for Kitzhaber and it read:
Personal
Mary T. Nolan was born in Chicago, Illinois. She is married to Mark S. Gardiner, and they have one teen-aged daughter; Liz N. Gardiner. (Elizabeth Nolan Gardiner).External links
- Oregon State House - Mary Nolan official government website
- Project Vote Smart - Representative Mary Nolan (OR) profile
- Portland Community College interview with Mary Nolan
- Follow the Money - Mary Nolan