Peter Courtney
Encyclopedia
Peter Courtney is a Democratic
member of the Oregon Senate, representing the 11th District (in Marion County
and including parts of Salem
, Keizer
, and Gervais
) since 1998. He is currently President of the Senate, serving since 2003. He was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives
in 1981, 1983, and from 1989 through 1998.
An American
attorney, he teaches at Western Oregon University
.
, on June 18, 1943. He grew up in Trenton, New Jersey
, West Virginia
, Rhode Island
, and Virginia
, the son of a life insurance agent. Both his parents earned college degrees, with his mother’s degree in Latin. In high school he played on the school’s football team. Courtney attended college at the University of Rhode Island
where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1965 followed by a master’s in public administration the following year. He graduated from Boston University’s law school
, and then moved to Oregon in 1969 to become the law clerk of William S. Fort of the Oregon Court of Appeals
. Courtney arrived in Salem
and stayed at the YMCA for two years.
in 1980 as a Democrat representing Marion
and Polk
counties in the Oregon House of Representatives
.
Courtney gave up his House seat to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, 5th district, in the 1984 primary. Courtney narrowly lost to state senator Ruth McFarland, who had been the 1982 nominee. McFarland again lost to Congressman Denny Smith. Courtney ran for and narrowly lost a state Senate seat in 1986, before taking back his old state House seat in 1988. In the House he served as Democratic leader for eight years, longer than anyone else had before him. After repairs to the Oregon State Capitol
were finished in 1995 after damage from the 1993 Scotts Mills earthquake, he gave a small piece of marble with an engraved image of the building to each Democrat in the House. He served as minority leader during the 1997 session.
He avoided term limits by moving from the House to the Senate in 1999, representing only Marion County. In 2002, he had surgery to remove a burst appendix and even received last rites prior to the surgery when survival was unknown. After 13 days at the hospital he recovered and returned to the legislature.
In 2003, Courtney was selected as the President of the Oregon State Senate
. The Senate was evenly divided between the state's major parties at the time, with 15 Democrats and 15 Republicans. Republican Lenn Hannon
was chosen as President Pro-tem; the two were recognized as having forged a strong bipartisan working relationship during the previous legislature's five emergency sessions. Courtney continued to serve as President for the 73rd
and 74th Oregon legislatures. Courtney is the most tenured Oregon legislator. Some lobbyists consider him liberal and anti-business, but with a reputation as a respected strategist.
Courtney serves as co-chair of the Legislative Counsel Committee.
, and serves as an administrator at the Monmouth
school. He married Margie Courtney in 1976; they have three sons. She now works as his legislative assistant.
He has worked as a political commentator for KPTV
television and KSLM
radio. He will appear in the documentary film Running Forward: Conquering Oregon's Hood To Coast Relay, due for a 2010 release. He has served on several boards of directors, and is a member of the Oregon State Bar
.
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 Senate, representing the 11th District (in Marion County
Marion County, Oregon
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was originally named the Champooick District, after Champoeg, a meeting place on the Willamette River. On September 3, 1849, the territorial legislature renamed it in honor of Francis Marion, a Continental Army general of the...
and including parts of Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, Keizer
Keizer, Oregon
Keizer is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States, along the 45th parallel. It was named for Thomas Dove and John Brooks Keizer, two pioneers who arrived in the Wagon Train of 1843, and later filed donation land claims. The population was 36,278 at the 2010 census...
, and Gervais
Gervais, Oregon
Gervais is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,009 at the 2000 census. The 2007 estimate is 2,250 residents. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
) since 1998. He is currently President of the Senate, serving since 2003. He was a 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....
in 1981, 1983, and from 1989 through 1998.
An American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney, he teaches at Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University is a public liberal arts college located in Monmouth, Oregon, United States. It was originally established in 1856 by Oregon pioneers as Monmouth University. Subsequent names include Oregon Normal School, Oregon College of Education, and Western Oregon State College...
.
Early life
Peter C. Courtney was born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, on June 18, 1943. He grew up in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, the son of a life insurance agent. Both his parents earned college degrees, with his mother’s degree in Latin. In high school he played on the school’s football team. Courtney attended college at the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1965 followed by a master’s in public administration the following year. He graduated from Boston University’s law school
Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law is the law school affiliated with Boston University, and is ranked #22 among American law schools by US News and World Report magazine. It is the second-oldest law school in Massachusetts and one of the first law schools in the country to admit students regardless...
, and then moved to Oregon in 1969 to become the law clerk of William S. Fort of the Oregon Court of Appeals
Oregon Court of Appeals
The Oregon Court of Appeals is the state intermediate appellate court in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon Judicial Department, it has ten judges and is located in Salem...
. Courtney arrived in Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
and stayed at the YMCA for two years.
Political career
Courtney's first political office was as a member of the Salem City Council where he served from 1974 until 1980. He was first elected to the Oregon Legislative AssemblyOregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
in 1980 as a Democrat representing Marion
Marion County, Oregon
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was originally named the Champooick District, after Champoeg, a meeting place on the Willamette River. On September 3, 1849, the territorial legislature renamed it in honor of Francis Marion, a Continental Army general of the...
and Polk
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
counties 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....
.
Courtney gave up his House seat to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, 5th district, in the 1984 primary. Courtney narrowly lost to state senator Ruth McFarland, who had been the 1982 nominee. McFarland again lost to Congressman Denny Smith. Courtney ran for and narrowly lost a state Senate seat in 1986, before taking back his old state House seat in 1988. In the House he served as Democratic leader for eight years, longer than anyone else had before him. After repairs to the Oregon State Capitol
Oregon State Capitol
The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the state capital, Salem. The current building, constructed from 1936 to 1938, and expanded in 1977, is the third...
were finished in 1995 after damage from the 1993 Scotts Mills earthquake, he gave a small piece of marble with an engraved image of the building to each Democrat in the House. He served as minority leader during the 1997 session.
He avoided term limits by moving from the House to the Senate in 1999, representing only Marion County. In 2002, he had surgery to remove a burst appendix and even received last rites prior to the surgery when survival was unknown. After 13 days at the hospital he recovered and returned to the legislature.
In 2003, Courtney was selected as the President of 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,...
. The Senate was evenly divided between the state's major parties at the time, with 15 Democrats and 15 Republicans. Republican Lenn Hannon
Lenn Hannon
Lenn Hannon was the second longest-serving state senator in the history of the U.S. state of Oregon. He held office from 1974 to 2004, switching from the Democratic to the Republican party in 1980. He represented Oregon's 51st Congressional district, in southern Jackson County....
was chosen as President Pro-tem; the two were recognized as having forged a strong bipartisan working relationship during the previous legislature's five emergency sessions. Courtney continued to serve as President for the 73rd
Seventy-third Oregon Legislative Assembly
The seventy-third Oregon Legislative Assembly was the Oregon Legislative Assembly 's period from 2005 to 2006. The seventy-third Oregon Legislative Assembly was the Oregon Legislative Assembly (OLA)'s period from 2005 to 2006. The seventy-third Oregon Legislative Assembly was the Oregon Legislative...
and 74th Oregon legislatures. Courtney is the most tenured Oregon legislator. Some lobbyists consider him liberal and anti-business, but with a reputation as a respected strategist.
Courtney serves as co-chair of the Legislative Counsel Committee.
Career and family
Courtney teaches speech at Western Oregon UniversityWestern Oregon University
Western Oregon University is a public liberal arts college located in Monmouth, Oregon, United States. It was originally established in 1856 by Oregon pioneers as Monmouth University. Subsequent names include Oregon Normal School, Oregon College of Education, and Western Oregon State College...
, and serves as an administrator at the Monmouth
Monmouth, Oregon
- History :Monmouth was settled in 1853 by a group of pioneers who made a point of allocating to build both a city and a "college under the auspices of the Christian Church" and proceeds from the sale of these lands were used to found Monmouth University. By the early 1880s the college fell on...
school. He married Margie Courtney in 1976; they have three sons. She now works as his legislative assistant.
He has worked as a political commentator for KPTV
KPTV
KPTV is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Portland, Oregon market, which includes most of the state of Oregon and portions of Southwest Washington. KPTV is owned by the Meredith Corporation in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate KPDX , with its studios located in Beaverton and...
television and KSLM
KWOD
KBZC is a commercial radio station in Sacramento, California, broadcasting on 106.5 FM. The Entercom-owned outlet airs a Rhythmic Adult Contemporary format.-History:...
radio. He will appear in the documentary film Running Forward: Conquering Oregon's Hood To Coast Relay, due for a 2010 release. He has served on several boards of directors, and is a member of the Oregon State Bar
Oregon State Bar
The Oregon State Bar is a government agency in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1890 as the private Oregon Bar Association, it became a public entity in 1935 that regulates the legal profession. The public corporation is part of the Oregon Judicial Department...
.
External links
- Oregon State Senate - Senate President Peter Courtney
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Peter C. Courtney (OR) profile
- Follow the Money 2008
- Voters' Guide for November 7, 2006 General Election from the Oregon Secretary of State
- Peter Courtney and the No-Bid Capitol Makeover Willamette Week, July 11, 2007