Oregon GOP Walkout Jeopardizes Key Legislation and Political Futures

Republican state senators in Oregon are boycotting the Statehouse, threatening to derail dozens of bills, including on gun control and abortion rights, as a deadline looms that could also upend the protesters’ political futures. Democrats control both the House and Senate but two-thirds of members need to be in attendance for a quorum, and the GOP is leveraging that rule. Lawmakers with 10 unexcused absences are barred from reelection under a constitutional amendment passed overwhelmingly last November by voters weary of repeated walkouts.