Rod Monroe
{{short description|American politician}}
{{for|the American football player|Rod Monroe (American football)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Rod Monroe
| image name = Rod Monroe.jpg
| imagesize = 150px
| caption =Monroe in 2016
| state_senate = Oregon
| district = 24th
| term_start = 2007
| term_end = 2019
| preceded = Frank Shields
| succeeded = Shemia Fagan
| office2 = Metro Councilor
| term2 = 1993–1996, 1998–2004{{cite web |title=Metro Council Roster 1979 – 2018 |url=https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2018/03/22/Metro-council-roster-03222018.pdf |pages=4–6 |publisher=Metro |access-date=August 26, 2023 |date=March 2018 |archive-date=August 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827043217/https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2018/03/22/Metro-council-roster-03222018.pdf |url-status=live }}
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| state_senate3 = Oregon
| district3 = 7th
| term3 = 1981–1989
| preceded3 = Stephen Kafoury
| succeeded3 = Shirley Gold
| state_house4 = Oregon
| district4 = 12th
| term4 = 1977–1981
| preceded4 = Grace Olivier Peck
| succeeded4 = Shirley Gold
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|08|20}}
| birth_place = McBride, British Columbia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democrat
| spouse = Billie
| profession = Teacher (retired)
| module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Rod Monroe voice.ogg|title=Rod Monroe's voice|type=speech|description=Monroe being interviewed by Bruce Broussard
Recorded August 30, 2011}}
| alma_mater = Portland State College (BA, MA)
}}
Rod Monroe (born August 20, 1942) is a Canadian-born American politician who served in the Oregon Senate, representing District 24 in the middle part of Multnomah County, which includes most of eastern Portland and the city of Happy Valley.
Early life and education
Born in McBride, British Columbia,{{cite web|url=https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/state/legislative/senate-district.aspx|title=Oregon Blue Book: State Senators by District|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=April 8, 2010|archive-date=November 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108030025/https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/state/legislative/senate-district.aspx|url-status=live}} Monroe was raised in Oregon and graduated from Portland's Franklin High School in 1960. He attended college at Warner Pacific University and received bachelor's and master's degrees from Portland State College (now Portland State University) in 1965 and 1969 respectively.{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.or.us/monroe/bio.htm|title=Senator Rod Monroe|publisher=Oregon State Legislature|accessdate=October 9, 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829005617/http://www.leg.state.or.us/monroe/bio.htm|archivedate=August 29, 2010|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|title=Rod Monroe|url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=56601|publisher=Project VoteSmart|accessdate=October 9, 2008|archive-date=May 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521065716/http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=56601|url-status=live}}
Career
He became a teacher at Tigard High School in Tigard, Oregon in 1965, teaching history and government and later served on the David Douglas school board.
In 1976, Monroe was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives, representing District 12 in Portland. He served two terms and then was elected to the Oregon Senate in 1980, representing the 7th district in Portland. He was re-elected to a second Senate term in 1984.{{cite web|url=https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/Pages/records/legislators_guide.aspx|title=State Government Legislators and Staff|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=November 10, 2011|archive-date=May 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518034357/https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/Pages/records/legislators_guide.aspx|url-status=live}} During this legislative tenure, Monroe was known for sponsoring safety-oriented legislation, such as mandatory seat belt laws, tougher drunk driving legislation, and bans on indoor smoking.{{cite news|title=House's Gold seeks Monroe's Senate seat|last=Mapes|first=Jeff|date=December 3, 1987|work=The Oregonian}}
Monroe ran for the Democratic nomination in the 1986 U.S. Senate election in Oregon, but came in second behind Jim Weaver.{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=253141|title=Oregon US Senate Democratic Primary Race, May 20, 1986|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=March 23, 2010|archive-date=June 14, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614074819/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=253141|url-status=live}}
In 1988, he lost a close election in the Democratic primary to Oregon House Majority Leader Shirley Gold, who had been elected to Monroe's seat when he was elected to the Senate.{{cite news|title=New lawmakers predict more active, progressive Oregon Senate for 1989|last=Ota|first=Alan K.|date=May 19, 1988|work=The Oregonian}} In the 1990 Democratic primary, Monroe sought to upset incumbent Judy Bauman for a seat in the Oregon House, but he was narrowly defeated.{{cite news|title=Unopposed Bauman top fundraiser|last=Bella|first=Rick|date=October 9, 1990|work=The Oregonian}}
In 1992, Monroe was elected to the council of Metro.,{{cite news|title=Metro voters to decide races, greenspaces issues, home rule|last=Mayer|first=James|date=October 2, 1992|work=The Oregonian}} the regional government for greater Portland. He served three terms, where he advocated for federal funding of light rail projects and the Portland Streetcar, as well as for biking and pedestrian trails such as the Springwater Corridor. In 2004, he was defeated for a fourth term by environmentalist Robert Liberty.{{cite news|title=Liberty takes over Monroe's Metro seat|last=Oppenheimer|first=Laura|date=November 3, 2004|work=The Oregonian}}
In Oregon's 2006 legislative elections, Monroe was again elected to the Oregon Senate in the District 24 seat vacated by the retiring Frank Shields.{{cite news|title=How Oregon voted – election results|date=November 9, 2006|work=The Oregonian}}
In 2018, Monroe ran for reelection but was defeated in the Democratic primary by former state Representative Shemia Fagan. Fagan ran unopposed in the general election later that year and won the election to become Monroe's successor in the state Senate.{{cite news|url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/17/portland-democrat-rod-monroe-primary-loss-set-shift-oregon-senate-balance/621329002/|title=Portland Democrat's primary loss set to shift Oregon Senate balance|last=James|first=Tom|date=May 17, 2018|work=Statesman Journal|accessdate=May 10, 2019|archive-date=November 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101220740/https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/17/portland-democrat-rod-monroe-primary-loss-set-shift-oregon-senate-balance/621329002/|url-status=live}}
Personal life
Monroe lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Billie.
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2006 Oregon State Senator, 24th district{{cite web
| title = Official Results | November 7, 2006
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873552
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = September 10, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230910004315/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873552
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Rod Monroe
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 17,304
| percentage = 48.7}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = T.J. Reilly
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 15,483
| percentage = 43.6}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Ron McCarty
| party = Independent (United States)
| votes = 2,653
| percentage = 7.5}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 85
| percentage = 0.2}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 35,525
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2010 Oregon State Senator, 24th district{{cite web
| title = Official Results November 2, 2010
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873642
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = August 31, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230831080329/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873642
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Rod Monroe
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 18,337
| percentage = 51.9}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Rob Wheeler
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 16,905
| percentage = 47.8}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 103
| percentage = 0.3}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 35,345
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2014 Oregon State Senator, 24th district{{cite web
| title = November 4, 2014, General Election, Official Abstract of Votes
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873735
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = April 6, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230406223359/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873735
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Rod Monroe
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 22,491
| percentage = 95.1}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 1,155
| percentage = 4.9}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 23,646
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.leg.state.or.us/monroe/ Legislative website]
- [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=56601 Project VoteSmart biography]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monroe, Rod}}
Category:Oregon state senators
Category:Members of the Oregon House of Representatives
Category:Politicians from Portland, Oregon
Category:Portland State University alumni
Category:Warner Pacific University alumni
Category:People from the Regional District of Fraser–Fort George
Category:School board members in Oregon
Category:Franklin High School (Portland, Oregon) alumni
Category:Schoolteachers from Oregon
Category:Metro councilors (Oregon regional government)
Category:21st-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly