Dan Rayfield

Dan Rayfield
Dan Rayfield
Born	1 3, 1979
Birthplace	Orange County, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Known for	Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives (2022–2024); Attorney General of Oregon (2024–present)
Education	Western Oregon University (BA) Willamette University (JD)
Spouse(s)	Amanda Rayfield
Children	1
Website	[[danrayfield.com danrayfield.com] Official site]

Daniel Adam Rayfield (born March 1, 1979) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 18th Attorney General of Oregon since December 31, 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, Rayfield previously served in the Oregon House of Representatives for nearly a decade, representing the 16th district, which encompassed Corvallis and Adair Village. He rose through the ranks of the House Democratic caucus, serving as majority whip before being elevated to Speaker of the Oregon House in 2022, a position he held until 2024. Before entering public office, Rayfield practiced law as a personal injury attorney in Oregon. His legislative career was marked by work on consumer protection and criminal justice issues, including early advocacy for reforms to Oregon's driving-under-the-influence laws. He assumed the office of Attorney General after his predecessor, Ellen Rosenblum, resigned approximately one week before her term expired, and he was subsequently elected to a full term in November 2024, defeating Republican Will Lathrop in the general election.

Early Life

Daniel Adam Rayfield was born on March 1, 1979, in Orange County, California. Details regarding his parents, siblings, and childhood in California are limited in publicly available sources. At some point, Rayfield relocated to Oregon, where he would pursue both his higher education and professional career. His move to the state set the stage for his eventual involvement in Oregon politics and law, and he became a resident of Corvallis, the seat of Benton County, which would later form the core of his legislative district.

Education

Rayfield earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Oregon University, a public university located in Monmouth, Oregon. He subsequently attended Willamette University College of Law in Salem, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree. Willamette University College of Law is one of Oregon's oldest law schools and has produced numerous attorneys and public officials in the Pacific Northwest. His legal education provided the foundation for his career as a practicing attorney and later informed his legislative work on legal and criminal justice policy matters.

Career

Legal Career

Before entering elective office, Rayfield worked as an attorney in Oregon. He was associated with the law firm Nelson MacNeil Rayfield, where he practiced personal injury law. In this capacity, Rayfield represented clients in civil litigation matters involving personal injury claims. His legal practice gave him direct experience with Oregon's court system and civil law, knowledge that he would later apply during his tenure in the state legislature.

Prior to his own election to office, Rayfield was involved in at least one notable legal case that drew public attention and intersected with criminal justice policy in Oregon. In 2007 and the years following, news reports in the Corvallis area covered the case of a police officer who had been involved in aggressive enforcement of driving-under-the-influence-of-intoxicants (DUII) laws, resulting in a number of arrests that were later called into question. This issue—the impact of wrongful DUII arrests on individuals who were falsely charged—would become a significant early legislative priority for Rayfield once he entered the Oregon House of Representatives.

Oregon House of Representatives

Election and Early Terms

Rayfield was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives to represent the 16th district in 2014, succeeding Sara Gelser, who left the seat to run for the Oregon State Senate. The 16th district included the city of Corvallis, home to Oregon State University, as well as the smaller community of Adair Village. He assumed office on January 12, 2015.

Upon his election, Rayfield received committee assignments in the Oregon House. As a newly elected representative, he was selected to serve on multiple House committees, reflecting his legal background and policy interests. Over his early terms, Rayfield received new and expanded committee responsibilities as he gained seniority within the House Democratic caucus.

Legislative Priorities and DUII Reform

One of the issues that defined Rayfield's early legislative engagement was reform of Oregon's handling of driving-under-the-influence-of-intoxicants (DUII) cases, particularly in instances where individuals had been wrongfully arrested or charged. The issue had garnered public attention in the Corvallis area due to a case involving a police officer whose aggressive enforcement practices led to numerous questionable DUII arrests.

In 2009, before Rayfield himself was in the legislature, Oregon House Bill 2318 was introduced to address the problem of false DUII records and provide a mechanism for individuals wrongfully charged to have those records expunged or corrected. The bill eventually reached the governor's desk. Coverage in the Corvallis Gazette-Times noted the significance of the legislation in allowing individuals affected by wrongful DUII charges to clear their records. This issue was part of the broader criminal justice and consumer protection landscape that Rayfield would continue to engage with during his time in the legislature.

Rayfield also built a record on environmental issues during his time in the House. The Oregon League of Conservation Voters tracked his voting record during the 2015 legislative session, providing a scorecard that assessed his positions on key environmental and conservation bills.

Rise in Leadership

Rayfield's colleagues in the House Democratic caucus recognized his legislative abilities, and he steadily ascended in the caucus leadership structure. He was selected as majority whip, a key leadership role responsible for counting votes and ensuring party discipline on important legislation. The majority whip position placed Rayfield at the center of legislative strategy and coalition-building within the House.

Rayfield was also chosen to participate in a legislative leadership academy, which provided additional professional development and training for state legislators identified as emerging leaders. This selection further underscored his growing profile within the Oregon legislative community.

During his time in the legislature, Rayfield compiled a record of legislative accomplishments across multiple sessions. Local media in the Corvallis area tracked his work and that of other area lawmakers, reporting on their successes in advancing legislation through the Oregon House and Senate.

Speaker of the Oregon House

On February 1, 2022, Rayfield was elected as the 68th Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, succeeding Tina Kotek, who had left the position to pursue the governorship of Oregon. As Speaker, Rayfield served as the presiding officer of the House, controlling the flow of legislation, making committee assignments, and representing the House in negotiations with the Oregon Senate and the governor's office.

Rayfield's speakership coincided with a period of significant political activity in Oregon, including debates over state budgets, housing policy, environmental regulation, and other issues. As Speaker, he was responsible for managing the legislative agenda and navigating the sometimes contentious dynamics of the chamber.

Rayfield served as Speaker until March 7, 2024, when he stepped down from the position. He was succeeded as Speaker by Julie Fahey. His departure from the speakership was related to his pursuit of higher office, as he had set his sights on the Oregon Attorney General race.

Attorney General of Oregon

Path to the Attorney General's Office

In 2024, Rayfield campaigned for the position of Attorney General of Oregon. The incumbent, Ellen Rosenblum, who had served as Attorney General since 2012, was not seeking reelection. Rayfield secured the Democratic nomination and faced Republican candidate Will Lathrop in the November 2024 general election.

Rayfield won the general election, defeating Lathrop and earning the right to serve as Oregon's chief legal officer. However, before he could be inaugurated for his elected term, an unusual transition took place. Ellen Rosenblum resigned from the Attorney General's office approximately one week before her term was set to expire, effective December 31, 2024. As a result, Rayfield was able to assume the office on December 31, 2024, becoming the 18th Attorney General of Oregon under Governor Tina Kotek.

Tenure as Attorney General

As Attorney General, Rayfield serves as the chief legal officer of the state of Oregon, overseeing the Oregon Department of Justice. The office is responsible for representing the state in legal matters, enforcing consumer protection laws, prosecuting certain criminal cases, and providing legal opinions to state agencies and the legislature. Rayfield brought to the position his experience as a practicing attorney and his extensive knowledge of Oregon's legal and legislative systems gained during nearly a decade in the state legislature.

Personal Life

Dan Rayfield resides in Corvallis, Oregon. He is married to Amanda Rayfield, and the couple has one child. Beyond these publicly documented facts, Rayfield has maintained a relatively private personal life. His long-standing residence in Corvallis established deep ties to the community that he represented in the Oregon House of Representatives for nearly a decade, and his continued presence in the area reflects his commitment to the region.

Recognition

Throughout his legislative career, Rayfield received recognition from various organizations for his policy work. The Oregon League of Conservation Voters tracked his voting record and included him in their legislative scorecards, assessing his positions on environmental and conservation legislation during his time in the House. His selection for a legislative leadership academy indicated recognition of his potential as an emerging leader within the broader community of state legislators.

Rayfield's elevation to the position of House majority whip and subsequently to the speakership of the Oregon House represented significant marks of confidence from his Democratic colleagues. The speakership of the Oregon House is one of the most powerful positions in Oregon state government, and Rayfield's selection for the role reflected the esteem in which he was held within his caucus.

His election as Attorney General in 2024 represented the culmination of a decade-long political career in Oregon, transitioning from a freshman legislator to the state's chief legal officer.

Legacy

Dan Rayfield's career trajectory—from personal injury attorney to state legislator to Speaker of the Oregon House to Attorney General—represents a significant arc in early 21st-century Oregon politics. His rise through the ranks of the Oregon House Democratic caucus, from newly elected representative to majority whip to Speaker, demonstrated an ability to build coalitions and earn the trust of his colleagues.

His early engagement with DUII reform issues, stemming from the problematic enforcement practices that affected residents in his community, illustrated a willingness to address criminal justice concerns at the intersection of individual rights and law enforcement accountability. As Attorney General, Rayfield carries forward his legal and legislative experience into a statewide executive role with broad authority over Oregon's legal affairs.

As an officeholder still in the relatively early stages of his tenure as Attorney General, Rayfield's full legacy remains to be determined by his actions and decisions in that office.