Democrats still control Oregon Legislature, minus one seat

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Republicans, by the thinnest of margins, managed to grab one seat from the Democrats in the Oregon Senate, while the ratio remained the same in the state House.

Results from the 2016 general election show that the Democrats will still dominate the legislature, though they are one seat short of a supermajority in each chamber that would have enabled them to pass laws more easily.

The change in the Senate, which cost the Democrats their supermajority there, was due to the loss to the GOP of the seat previously occupied by Sen. Alan Bates. The Democrat died of an apparent heart attack Aug. 5 while on a fishing trip. Retired Southern Oregon University administrator Kevin Talbert is filling in the remainder of the term until January.