Jeff Merkley

Jeff Merkley
Born	Jeffrey Alan Merkley 24 10, 1956
Birthplace	Myrtle Creek, Oregon, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	U.S. Senator from Oregon, Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
Education	Stanford University (BA) Princeton University (MPA)
Children	2
Website	[https://www.merkley.senate.gov Official site]

Jeffrey Alan Merkley (born October 24, 1956) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from Oregon since January 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Merkley first entered elected office in 1999 as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, representing the 47th district in central Multnomah County on the eastern side of Portland, Oregon. He rose to become the 64th Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives in 2007, a position he held until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2008, when he defeated two-term Republican incumbent Gordon H. Smith. Merkley was subsequently reelected in 2014 and 2020, defeating Republican nominees Monica Wehby and Jo Rae Perkins, respectively. Before entering politics, Merkley worked in public policy and international development, including a stint at the Pentagon as a national security analyst and service as president of the World Affairs Council of Oregon. In the Senate, he has been an advocate of progressive policy positions, and in 2016 became the only sitting U.S. senator to endorse Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primaries. As of January 2025, Merkley serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee and is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Early Life

Jeffrey Alan Merkley was born on October 24, 1956, in Myrtle Creek, a small town in Douglas County in southern Oregon. He grew up in a working-class family in Oregon. Merkley's upbringing in rural and later suburban Oregon shaped many of his later political priorities, including a focus on affordable housing, blue-collar economic concerns, and environmental stewardship—issues central to Oregon's political landscape.

Merkley spent his formative years in the Portland metropolitan area, where he attended public schools. His background in a modest household in Oregon informed his identification with middle-class economic struggles, a theme he would return to throughout his political career.

Education

Merkley pursued his undergraduate education at Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He later attended the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, where he received a Master of Public Administration (MPA). His graduate education at Princeton focused on public affairs and international policy, providing a foundation for his later work in national security and public service. The combination of a Stanford undergraduate degree and a Princeton graduate degree placed Merkley among a cohort of Oregon politicians with credentials from elite national institutions.

Career

Early Career and Public Policy Work

Before entering electoral politics, Merkley built a career in public policy and international affairs. He worked as a national security analyst at the Pentagon, gaining experience in defense policy during the late stages of the Cold War. He also worked at the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, D.C., where he focused on federal fiscal policy.

Merkley was involved in international development work and served as president of the World Affairs Council of Oregon, a nonprofit organization focused on international engagement and education based in Portland. His work in this capacity reflected his interest in global affairs and foreign policy, interests he would later pursue as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Additionally, Merkley worked at Habitat for Humanity, further developing his focus on affordable housing—a subject that would become one of his signature legislative priorities.

Oregon House of Representatives (1999–2009)

Merkley was first elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1998, representing the 47th district, which covers central Multnomah County on the eastern side of Portland. He succeeded Frank Shields in the seat and began serving on January 3, 1999.

During his decade in the Oregon House, Merkley established himself as a leading figure within the Democratic caucus. He focused on issues including affordable housing, sustainability, education funding, and healthcare access. His legislative work in Salem earned him a reputation as an effective organizer within the Democratic minority, and later, as Democrats gained seats, within the majority.

In 2006, Democrats regained control of the Oregon House of Representatives after years in the minority, a shift that marked a significant change in Oregon state politics. Following this electoral success, Merkley was elected by his colleagues to serve as the 64th Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, succeeding Republican Karen Minnis and taking office on January 3, 2007.

As Speaker, Merkley presided over a period of significant legislative activity. Under his leadership, the Oregon House passed measures related to renewable energy, domestic partnership rights, and expansion of healthcare coverage. His tenure as Speaker was viewed as a key phase in his political development, demonstrating his ability to manage legislative coalitions and advance a progressive agenda in a closely divided chamber. Merkley held the speakership until January 2, 2009, when he stepped down after his election to the U.S. Senate. He was succeeded as Speaker by Dave Hunt. His seat in the 47th district was subsequently filled by Jefferson Smith.

2008 U.S. Senate Campaign

In 2007, Merkley announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, seeking to unseat two-term Republican incumbent Gordon H. Smith. The race was one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the 2008 election cycle. Merkley campaigned on issues including ending the Iraq War, expanding healthcare, and addressing economic inequality. He received endorsements from several prominent Oregon political figures, including Governor Ted Kulongoski and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden's office signaled support for the Democratic ticket.

The general election contest between Merkley and Smith was competitive throughout. Polling in the summer and fall of 2008 showed a tight race, with a Rasmussen Reports survey indicating Merkley had edged ahead of Smith for the first time, 43% to 41%. The race was influenced by national trends favoring Democrats in the 2008 election cycle, including the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama.

On election night, the results were extremely close, and the outcome was not immediately apparent. Merkley ultimately declared victory several days after the election, after mail-in ballots were tallied and the margin became clear. He defeated Smith by a margin of approximately three percentage points, winning the seat and ending Smith's 12-year tenure in the Senate. The victory made Merkley one of several Democrats who flipped Republican-held Senate seats in 2008, contributing to an expanded Democratic majority in the chamber.

U.S. Senate (2009–present)

Merkley took office as the junior U.S. senator from Oregon on January 3, 2009, serving alongside senior senator Ron Wyden. Over the course of his Senate tenure, Merkley has established himself as a member of the progressive wing of the Democratic caucus, focusing on issues including housing affordability, campaign finance reform, environmental protection, and foreign policy.

Healthcare and the Public Option

During the debate over the Affordable Care Act in 2009 and 2010, Merkley was a vocal proponent of including a public option—a government-run insurance plan that would compete with private insurers. In February 2010, he publicly called on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to advance the public option through the budget reconciliation process, which would require only a simple majority vote rather than the 60-vote supermajority needed to overcome a filibuster. Although the public option was ultimately not included in the final legislation, Merkley's advocacy on the issue positioned him as a leading progressive voice on healthcare policy in the Senate.

2016 Presidential Primaries

In the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Merkley became the only sitting U.S. senator to endorse Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination for president. The endorsement was notable given that the vast majority of Democratic senators had endorsed Hillary Clinton. Merkley's support for Sanders reflected his alignment with the progressive wing of the party on issues including income inequality, campaign finance reform, and Wall Street regulation.

2014 and 2020 Reelection Campaigns

Merkley was reelected in 2014, defeating Republican nominee Monica Wehby, a pediatric neurosurgeon, by a substantial margin. In 2020, he won a third term, defeating Republican nominee Jo Rae Perkins, who was associated with the QAnon movement. Both reelection campaigns were decided by comfortable margins, reflecting Merkley's strong position in increasingly Democratic-leaning Oregon.

Consideration of 2020 Presidential Campaign

Following the 2018 midterm elections, Merkley was considered a potential candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. He ultimately chose not to run for president and instead sought reelection to his Senate seat, which he won in November 2020.

Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member

In January 2025, Merkley assumed the position of Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, succeeding Chuck Grassley as the senior member of the minority party on the committee. In this role, Merkley has been involved in oversight of federal spending and budget priorities. In February 2026, he led Senate Budget Committee Democrats in pressing the Department of Defense to release an unclassified spend plan for national security funding.

Foreign Relations Committee

As a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Merkley has been active on issues of international policy, including military authorization and U.S. foreign engagement. In February 2026, he issued a statement asserting that any military action against Iran would require congressional authorization, invoking the War Powers Clause of the Constitution. He has also commented on international security developments, including events related to drug cartel activity in Mexico in his capacity as a Foreign Relations Committee member.

Tariff and Constitutional Authority Disputes

In February 2026, Merkley publicly accused President Donald Trump of disregarding the Constitution with respect to tariff authority, stating that Trump had "no intention of following" the Constitution on tariffs. His remarks followed a Supreme Court decision related to presidential tariff powers.

Oversight and Executive Branch Criticism

Merkley has been a frequent critic of executive branch actions he views as overreach. In February 2026, he criticized FBI Director Kash Patel for attending events with the U.S. men's hockey team at the Winter Olympics, describing it as a "continuation of amateur hour."

Oregon Infrastructure and Appropriations

Throughout his Senate tenure, Merkley has worked alongside Senator Wyden on securing federal funding for Oregon infrastructure projects. In February 2026, the two senators, along with U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas, announced $3 million in federal funding for a bus transit center in Salem, Oregon.

In February 2026, both Merkley and Wyden announced they would not attend the State of the Union address, marking a notable public statement regarding their relationship with the sitting administration.

Personal Life

Merkley resides in Portland, Oregon. He has two children. He has maintained a relatively low public profile regarding his personal life, focusing public communications primarily on policy matters. His personal interests include outdoor recreation, consistent with Oregon's culture of environmental engagement.

Recognition

Merkley's 2008 Senate victory was one of the notable Democratic pickups of that election cycle and received significant national media attention due to the closeness of the race and the defeat of a two-term Republican incumbent. His endorsement of Bernie Sanders in 2016 drew national attention as the sole sitting senator to do so during the Democratic primaries.

His tenure as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2007 to 2009 was recognized as a period of significant legislative productivity for Oregon Democrats, marking the party's return to leadership of the chamber after years in the minority.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee and a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Merkley holds positions of institutional significance within the Senate Democratic caucus, affording him a platform on fiscal and international policy matters.