Lynn Findley is second Oregon Senate Republican to face recall effort
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A second Republican in the Oregon Senate is facing a recall effort after showing up to oppose a gun-control bill earlier this year.
Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that this week a Mount Vernon resident named Patrick Kopke-Hales initiated a petition process that, if successful, could force a recall election against state Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, whose sprawling District 30 covers seven counties, including Jefferson, and parts of four others, including Deschutes.
Findley was one of six Republicans to attend a March 25 floor session, granting quorum to supermajority Democrats against the wishes of many gun rights supporters. Though Findley spoke forcefully against Senate Bill 554 that day, Democrats passed the proposal to create new gun storage laws, ban guns in the Capitol and Portland International Airport, and allow Oregon schools and universities to implement their own bans.
Senate Majority Fred Girod is also facing a prospective recall because of SB 554′s passage, a fact that reflects increasing pressure on Republicans to flee the Capitol over controversial bills after doing so to block climate change legislation in 2019 and 2020.
The gun-control bill is currently the subject of a referendum effort that could give voters a final say on the law in November 2022.
In a statement Findley said he is focused on “serving my constituents and leading our state’s recovery efforts from the failed policies of Kate Brown... Fighting for conservative values in Salem is my priority, not playing political games.”
In order to force a recall election, Kopke-Hales will need to gather 8,289 valid signatures within the expansive and sparse Senate District 30, which includes much of eastern Oregon, by Sept. 13, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
