Earl Blumenauer

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer speaks during an event at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit, Nov. 10, 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland.

Earl Blumenauer is one of the longest-serving elected officials in Oregon history — if not the longest. He first won election to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1972, when he was in his early 20s. Over the next five decades, he went on to serve on the Multnomah County Commission, Portland City Council and, most famously, for nearly 30 years representing Portland in Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District.

In that time, Blumenauer has stood out for any number of reasons: his bow tie, his enthusiasm for bicycles, and his passion for cannabis legalization, to name a few. Now he’s saying goodbye to public office, and looking forward to a role helping his hometown find its feet.