Politics & Government
Sen. Betsy Johnson Stepping Down To Make Governor Run Full-Time
"Northwest Oregon deserves a full-time Senator and running for Governor is a full-time job," Betsy Johnson said, announcing her resignation.
PORTLAND, OR — Sen. Betsy Johnson says that she knows when it's time to move on. The 20-year veteran of the Oregon State Senate announced on Tuesday that she is resigning.
Johnson, who has been a Democrat most of her career, left the party earlier this year to launch a run for governor as an Independent.
Her resignation, which goes into effect on December 15, was announced in a video on Facebook.
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"As most of you know, working for you in Salem has never been a part-time job for me. But neither is running for governor," she says in the video. "Oregon is a huge state, and I have a lot of work to do to bring us all together.
"I will never forget the opportunity you have given this daughter of Oregon to learn, to serve and to continue to lead."
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Johnson's district covers parts of Clatsop, Columbia, Multnomah, Tillamook, and Washington Counties. Democratic Party officials from those counties will choose a slate of possible replacements and then elected officials from there will pick the person to serve out her term, which runs through next year,
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