Jason Atkinson

Born in Sacramento, California, Atkinson grew up in the Southern Oregon city of Ashland.

In 1998, Atkinson was elected to his first public office as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives.{{cite web

| title = Oregon Legislative Assembly (70th) 1999 Regular Session

| work=Oregon State Archives

| publisher=Oregon Secretary of State

| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785356

| accessdate = 2007-12-12 }}

He served as a Republican representing District 51, which includes Jackson and Josephine counties. He served one term before election to the Oregon State Senate in 2000.{{cite web

| title = Oregon Legislative Assembly (71st) 2001 Regular Session

| work=Oregon State Archives

| publisher=Oregon Secretary of State

| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785357

| accessdate = 2007-12-12 }}

Atkinson was elected from District 25, once again representing Jackson and Josephine counties in Southern Oregon. In 2002, the district was changed to District 2.{{cite web

| title = Oregon Legislative Assembly (72nd) 2003 Regular Session

| work=Oregon State Archives

| publisher=Oregon Secretary of State

| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785359

| accessdate = 2007-12-12 }}

Atkinson was re-elected to a second four-year Oregon Senate term without opposition in 2004.{{cite web

| title = Oregon Legislative Assembly (73rd) 2005 Regular Session

| work=Oregon State Archives

| publisher=Oregon Secretary of State

| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785360

| accessdate = 2007-12-12 }}

In the State Senate he has served as Deputy Majority Leader, Majority Whip and Committee Chair.

In 2006, Atkinson ran for the Republican nomination for Governor of Oregon.Law, Steve. Oregon governor's race party profile: Republicans. Statesman Journal, April 23, 2006. He finished third of the eight candidates, with 22% of the vote, behind the nominee, Ron Saxton, who garnered 43% and Kevin Mannix, who received 30%.

Atkinson won reelection to the Oregon Senate in 2008. He did not run for reelection in 2012.{{cite news|last=Giegerich|first=Andy|title=Jason Atkinson to leave Oregon Senate|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2012/03/06/atkinson-to-leave-oregon-senate.html|accessdate=March 6, 2012|newspaper=Portland Business Journal|date=March 6, 2012}} He was a candidate for Congress in 2020.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Jason Atkinson officially announces run for Congress {{!}} KMVU Fox 26 Medford |url=https://fox26medford.com/jason-atkinson-officially-announces-run-for-congress/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112214548/https://fox26medford.com/jason-atkinson-officially-announces-run-for-congress/ |archive-date=November 12, 2019 |access-date=2019-11-12 |language=en-US}}

Atkinson and his wife Stephanie live in Central Point with their son, Perry. The Atkinsons are of the Presbyterian faith.

He is the Secretary/Treasurer of KDSO-LD, a local religious television station. His father Perry is president and host of its major programs.

On July 29, 2008, while repairing a friend's bicycle, Atkinson was struck in the knee by a bullet fired from a loaded .38 caliber derringer pistol, which was in a small bag that he had taken off the bike and dropped on the floor. On July 31, Senator Atkinson was listed in serious condition at Providence Medford Medical Center.{{cite web

| title = Dropped derringer wounds state Sen. Atkinson | work=Mail Tribune (Medford) | last=Mann | first=Damian | date = 2008-07-31| url = http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/NEWS/807310328/-1/COMM| accessdate = 2008-07-31 }} On August 4, 2008, Atkinson underwent successful surgery at Providence Medford Medical Center.{{cite web | title = Atkinson is doing well after successful surgery on his leg | work=Mail Tribune (Medford)| last=Specht| first=Sanne| date = 2008-08-05 | url = http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/NEWS/808050320 | accessdate = 2008-12-24 }}

Atkinson is also known for his public support of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. Dams, agricultural runoff, and water diversions in the upper basin of the Klamath River have caused water quality issues, ongoing [http://earthjustice.org/features/the-legacy-of-the-klamath-river-fish-kill fish kills], and steep salmon population declines on the lower half of the river, with resulting conflict between salmon fishing communities including several Native American tribes on one side, and ranchers and farmers on the other. In response, commercial fishermen, environmental groups and tribes have proposed reductions in water use in the Klamath Basin, as well as the removal of at least four dams on the river to recover blocked fish habitat and reduce water quality problems. In early 2010, after a multi-year negotiation process, a group of Klamath stakeholders put forth their concerns in the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.[https://web.archive.org/web/20121006221548/https://klamathrestoration.gov/sites/klamathrestoration.gov/files/Klamath-Agreements/Klamath-Basin-Restoration-Agreement-2-18-10signed.pdf Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement for the Sustainability of Public and Trust Resources and Affected Communities], February 18, 2010. This water management plan was signed by a number of local communities, governments, tribal groups, environmentalists, and fishermen, although it was also immediately opposed by some other local tribesLeonard Masten, Chairman, Hoopa Valley Tribe, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20160918031535/http://www.times-standard.com/article/ZZ/20121130/NEWS/121139954 KBRA damages fish, tribal rights], Eureka Times-Standard, November 30, 2012. and conservationists,WaterWatch of Oregon, [https://web.archive.org/web/20150927004000/http://waterwatch.org/pressroom/press-clips/make-believe-water-bill-would-be-disaster-for-klamath ‘Make-believe water’ bill would be disaster for Klamath], Eugene Register-Guard, July 11, 2015. as well as some farmers and ranchers. The proposal was endorsed by the U.S. Department of the Interior but was not authorized by the United States Congress. The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement expired in late 2015, but in early 2016, a separate and more broadly-supported accord known as the Klamath Hydropower Settlement Agreement was struck.Paige Blankenbeuhler, [https://www.hcn.org/articles/how-conservatives-handed-environmentalists-what-they-wanted-klamath-dam-removal-without-concessions On the Klamath, a surprising win for river advocates], High Country News, February 5, 2016. Unlike the prior settlement, this new agreement does not require support or funding from Congress, and is expected to lead to the removal of the four lower Klamath River dams in 2020.Will Houston, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160918031415/http://www.times-standard.com/article/NJ/20160819/NEWS/160819855 Klamath River dam removal plan delayed], Eureka Times-Standard, August 19, 2016.

Although Atkinson was not part of the negotiations or a signatory to the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, he pushed strongly for Congress to endorse it. In 2014, he produced and narrated a documentary film, A River Between Us,[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4177394/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt A River Between Us] at the Internet Movie Database. describing the controversy and the peoples involved.Harry Esteve, [http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/02/jason_atkinson_out_of_politics.html Jason Atkinson, out of politics, works on Klamath River documentary]. The Oregonian, February 16, 2014. However, the plan was not endorsed before Congress adjourned at the end of 2015. Atkinson has stated his belief that members of Congress did not take the plan or the people seriously enough to realize the plan's importance to environmental restoration.Jason Atkinson, [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-a-atkinson/darkness-won_b_9040542.html Darkness Won.] Editorial by Atkinson in The Huffington Post, January 22, 2016.

• Oregon gubernatorial election, 2010
• Oregon legislative elections, 2008
• Oregon gubernatorial election, 2006
• Seventy-fifth Oregon Legislative Assembly

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080712230809/http://www.leg.state.or.us/atkinson/ Senator Atkinson's webpage] from the Oregon Legislative Assembly website
• [http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6873492 Voters' Pamphlet November 2, 2004 - Senator Atkinson's Bio ]
• [http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=COR30359 Project Vote Smart Biography]

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Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party members of the Oregon House of Representatives

Category:21st-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly

Category:Republican Party Oregon state senators

Category:People from Central Point, Oregon

Category:Radio personalities from Oregon

Category:Southern Oregon University alumni

Category:Willamette University alumni

Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections