Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley announced today that he will seek re-election to a fourth term in 2026, pledging to continue to fight for working families and stand firm against growing threats to democracy, freedom, and economic justice.

“For years, I’ve worked to lift up the voices of ordinary Americans and take on the powerful interests that rig our system,” Merkley said. “Now, with Donald Trump and his MAGA cronies working overtime to destroy the checks and balances of our ‘We the People government’ and shred programs families rely on, we’re in the fight of our lives, and I’m not backing down.”

In the Senate, Merkley has built a reputation as a bold, relentless progressive, fighting to protect voting rights, take on corruption, tackle the climate crisis, and expand housing and health care. He has been a fierce champion for reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, civil liberties, and consumer protections. He’s led national efforts to stop billionaires from buying elections, strengthen American democracy, and hold Wall Street accountable. His work has been driven by one clear goal: building a country where families thrive and billionaires pay their fair share.

As the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, Merkley has been on the front lines pushing back against what he calls the Republicans’ “families lose, billionaires win” agenda. He condemned Trump’s efforts to slash Medicaid, gut food assistance, and demolish clean energy progress, all to hand massive tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy at the expense of hardworking Americans.

Before joining the Senate, Merkley served in the Oregon House of Representatives. As Speaker of the House, he led efforts to expand affordable housing, balance the state budget, advance clean energy, defend marriage equality, and throw payday lenders out of Oregon.

Raised in a blue-collar Oregon family, with a father who worked as a union machinist, Merkley was the first in his family to graduate from college. He still lives in the neighborhood where he grew up and remains rooted in Oregon values: equity, community, sustainability, and opportunity for all. Since 2009, he’s held town halls in each of Oregon’s 36 counties every year, listening directly to the people he serves and bringing their voices to the Senate floor.

“This is a dark and dangerous time for our democracy, and the only way through it is together,” Merkley said. “I’m asking Oregonians to be my partners once again — to join me, organize, vote, and stop Trump’s march toward a strongman authoritarian state. If we stand together, we can win a future where every child grows up with real opportunity, every family has a fair shot, and future generations inherit a democracy that works for all of us.”

Source: Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley

Mark Mason