Jeff Kruse
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Jeff Kruse
| image name=Jeff Kruse.jpg
| state_senate=Oregon State
| state=Oregon
| district=1st
| termstart=January 2005
| termend= March 15, 2018
| preceded=Bill Fisher
| succeeded=Dallas Heard
| state_house2=Oregon
| state2=Oregon
| district2 =45th (to 2002), later 7th
| termstart2=January 1997
| termend2=January 2005
| preceded2=Bill Fisher
| succeeded2=Bruce Hanna
| party=Republican
| birth_date= {{birth date and age|1951|9|7}}
| birth_place=Oregon
| death_date=
| death_place=
| alma_mater=Willamette University
| occupation=Farmer
| spouse=
| residence=Roseburg, Oregon
}}
Jeff Kruse (born September 7, 1951) is a former Republican member of the Oregon Senate, representing the 1st District from 1996 until his resignation for sexual harassment in 2018.{{cite web|title=State Government Legislators and Staff, 2005 Regular Session|publisher=Oregon State Archives|url=http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785360|accessdate=January 1, 2013|archive-date=October 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001204636/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785360|url-status=live}}
Committees
Kruse formerly sat on the following Senate Committees:
- Education and General Government, Vice Chair
- Health and Human Services, Vice Chair
- Public Education Appropriation, Member
- Services to Seniors and People with Disabilities, Vice Chair
Native American mascot controversy
In July 2013, Kruse gained national attention by appearing in a CNN video news story about a bill he sponsored. His bill would reverse an existing Oregon law requiring public schools to remove what some colleagues consider "racist" and "insensitive" references to Native Americans on their sports team's uniforms. Prior to the enactment of the 2012 Oregon law, the State Superintendent of Schools had determined that the continued use of Native American mascots has created a "hostile educational environment". Schools have been given until 2017 to comply with the required change. In defending his bill, Kruse has asked: "do we change the entire world for the small few [sic]? He graduated from Roseburg High School whose mascot is "the Indians". This mascot is frequently depicted in cartoons as clownish or as a charging warrior. The images have offended citizens of Native American descent and caused local controversy.{{cite news|title=Lose that mascot, or lose state funding|url=http://www.cnn.com/videos/bestoftv/2013/07/18/erin-pkg-blackwell-native-american-mascots.cnn|work=CNN|date=July 18, 2013|access-date=October 24, 2017|archive-date=October 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025022333/http://www.cnn.com/videos/bestoftv/2013/07/18/erin-pkg-blackwell-native-american-mascots.cnn|url-status=live}}
Sexual harassment allegations
{{See also|Me Too movement}}
In October 2017, Kruse was removed from all of his Senate committee assignments by Senate President Peter Courtney. An article in The Oregonian indicated that Kruse had been accused of inappropriate touching and had failed to resolve ongoing workplace issues.{{cite news|first=Gordon R.|last=Friedman|title=Oregon state senator booted from committees over 'ongoing workplace issues'|url=http://katu.com/news/politics/oregon-state-senator-booted-from-committees-over-ongoing-workplace-issues|work=KATU|date=October 21, 2017|access-date=October 24, 2017|archive-date=October 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025073604/http://katu.com/news/politics/oregon-state-senator-booted-from-committees-over-ongoing-workplace-issues|url-status=live}}
The removal came days after Senator Sara Gelser indicated that Kruse had inappropriately touched her. Senator Ginny Burdick supported Gelser's allegations, calling Kruse's behavior a "chronic problem", recalling an incident where she had to tell Kruse to get his hands off of Gelser and another incident where Kruse had inappropriately touched a female staffer on the Senate floor.{{cite news|last1=Friedman|first1=Gordon R.|title=State senator: Fellow senator groped me in Oregon Capitol|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/10/state_senator_fellow_senator_g.html|work=The Oregonian|date=October 23, 2017|access-date=October 24, 2017|archive-date=October 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025073520/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/10/state_senator_fellow_senator_g.html|url-status=live}}
Kruse's smoking violations in his Capitol office were also a factor in the sanctions. He categorically denied any inappropriate behavior while acknowledging that "the smoking still is an issue that I will not deny."{{cite news|last1=Friedman|first1=Gordon R.|title=State senator stripped of powers due to allegations of inappropriate touching in Capitol|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/10/kruse.html|work=The Oregonian|date=October 20, 2017|access-date=October 24, 2017|archive-date=October 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024151216/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/10/kruse.html?|url-status=live}}
On February 9, 2018, Kruse announced his resignation, to take effect March 15, 2018.{{Cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/02/kruse_resigns_after_finding_of.html|title=Kruse to resign after finding of groping at Capitol|work=The Oregonian|date=February 9, 2018|access-date=February 9, 2018|archive-date=February 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209025600/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/02/kruse_resigns_after_finding_of.html|url-status=live}}
On April 17, 2018 fellow member of the Douglas County delegation Dallas Heard succeeded Kruse as State Senator for the Oregon State Senate 1st District.{{cite news|first=Hillary|last=Borrud|date=April 10, 2018|title=Roseburg Republican Dallas Heard selected to replace disgraced ex-lawmaker Jeff Kruse|newspaper=The Oregonian}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2004 Oregon State Senator, 1st district{{cite web
| title = Official Results | November 2, 2004
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873503
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = September 10, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230910004416/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873503
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jeff Kruse
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 38,866
| percentage = 65.9}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Bruce W. Cronk
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 19,992
| percentage = 33.9}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 103
| percentage = 0.2}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 58,961
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2008 Oregon State Senator, 1st district{{cite web
| title = Official Results | November 4, 2008
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873598
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = September 10, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230910004214/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873598
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jeff Kruse
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 38,366
| percentage = 69.7}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Eldon Rollins
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 16,461
| percentage = 29.9}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 229
| percentage = 0.4}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 55,056
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2012 Oregon State Senator, 1st district{{cite web
| title = Official Results | November 6, 2012
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873690
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = April 6, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230406223358/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873690
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jeff Kruse
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 40,361
| percentage = 71.4}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Eldon Rollins
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 16,062
| percentage = 28.4}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 121
| percentage = 0.2}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 56,544
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2016 Oregon State Senator, 1st district{{cite web
| title = November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873777
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = January 19, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230119071743/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873777
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jeff Kruse
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 45,775
| percentage = 73.4}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Timm Rolek
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 16,476
| percentage = 26.4}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 106
| percentage = 0.2}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 62,357
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080518092611/http://www.leg.state.or.us/kruse/ Senator Jeff Kruse] – official website
- [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=10873 Project Vote Smart – Senator Jeff Kruse (OR)] profile
- [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/search.phtml?PHPSESSID=5e52858ebcbd7b9089ffce559d871f90&searchbox=jeff+kruse Follow the Money] – campaign contributions
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kruse, Jeff}}
Category:Republican Party Oregon state senators
Category:Republican Party members of the Oregon House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Category:Willamette University alumni
{{Oregon-politician-stub}}