Commissioners appoint Bill Kennemer to Senate District 20
Former state representative, Clackamas County commissioner to replace Alan Olsen
Former Oregon House District 39 Rep. Bill Kennemer has been appointed to fill the State Senate District 20 seat vacated by Alan Olsen.
Kennemer, R-Canby, was unanimously appointed to the position during a joint session with commissioners from Clackamas and Marion counties held via Zoom on Monday, Feb. 1.
In 2019, Kennemer retired as the Oregon House District 39 representative, a post he d held since 2009. Prior to that, he was a state senator and a county commissioner. He also practiced as a psychologist for almost 25 years.
During a Zoom meeting on Jan. 23, the Clackamas County Republican Party selected Kennemer, Steve Bates and John Lee to advance in the process to fill the Senate District 20 seat. Bates received endorsement from Olsen, who resigned to care for family members.
Kayse Jama appointed to Oregon Senate District 24 seat January 20 2021
Executive director of Unite Oregon appointed to fill spot vacated by Secretary of State Shemia Fagan
Commissioners representing Multnomah and Clackamas counties unanimously cast votes to approve Kayse Jama as the next state senator to represent District 24, covering portions of east Portland and northern Clackamas County. The magnitude of this moment is not lost on me, Jama said. My journey from a nomadic community in Somalia to the Oregon Senate is a testament to where I come from, the people of our district, and our shared values.
Jama executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Unite Oregon will join Oregon s legislative assembly ahead of a session that is expected to take aim at advancing issues of racial justice and fixing systemic inequities further exposed and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The chorus of calls for the resignation of newly-elected Clackamas County Commissioner Mark Shull couldn’t get any louder. Voters, local officials and even his fellow commissioners have demanded that Shull step down, after a constituent revealed a multitude of hateful screeds that he’s posted on Facebook targeting Muslims and parroting extremist right-wing claims. Yet Shull has been unmoved. .