• The Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 952 on June 3, which would allow the governor to appoint a replacement for a vacant U.S. Senate seat.
• The bill requires the governor to appoint someone of the same political party as the previous senator within 30 days and a special election within 150 days of the vacancy.
• Supporters say the bill ensures Oregon has full representation, but opponents argue it diminishes voters’ power.

The Oregon Legislature passed a bill on June 3 that would allow the governor of Oregon to appoint a U.S. senator to represent the state temporarily in the event of a vacancy.

Under current state law, vacancies in the U.S. Senate are filled by a special election, and the seat remains empty until the special election is held.

If Kotek signs Senate Bill 952, Oregon would become the 47th state to grant the governor the authority to fill a vacancy. North Dakota, Rhode Island and Wisconsin do not allow temporary appointments before a special election is held, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

SB 952 would require the governor to appoint within 30 days of a vacancy an individual qualified to hold office who is affiliated with the same political party as the previous senator.

A special election would be required within 150 days of the vacancy.

SB 952 passed by a vote of 31-24 on June 3 in the Oregon House and passed on a 16-13 vote in the Oregon Senate on April 28.

Why advocates for Oregon Senate Bill 952 say it is necessary

“Senate Bill 952A is a safeguard,” said Rep. Hai Pham, D-Hillsboro. “It ensures that Oregonians are always represented and never left without a voice in the U.S. Senate during critical moments.”

Oregon U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley submitted letters in support of SB 952. Wyden stated in his testimony that collaboration between two senators is crucial to making the state a better place to work and live.

“Oregonians would have only half a voice in the U.S. Senate if our state lacked a senator because of death or injury for a prolonged period. And that in turn could hurt our state significantly,” Wyden wrote.

Merkley echoed Wyden’s testimony in a letter he submitted to the Legislature, saying both voices matter for the state.

“If Oregon is left without a Senator for several months because a vacancy occurs and current law does not provide for an appointment, then that critical work will not happen, and it could have significant repercussions for the people of Oregon,” Merkley wrote.

What opponents said about authorizing Oregon governor to appoint a US senator

Opponents who spoke on the floor included Republicans and Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, who expressed concerns that the measure would erode voters’ power.

“It takes a step closer to centralizing control and a step away from democratic values,” said Rep. Dwayne Yunker, R-Grants Pass.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, said the bill was unnecessary. She recalled her campaign for governor and said appointees should not be allowed to represent without undergoing a similar process.

“[Campaigning] is grueling, it is humbling, it is demanding, and it is appropriate that it be so,” Drazan said. “It demands more than policy knowledge or just political connections … Senate Bill 952 hands power to insiders and it takes it from the people. That is always a mistake.”

Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on X @DianneLugo

Opa Locka (Fla.) Northwestern four-star wide receiver Calvin Russell continues to work towards his July 5 commitment date. He’ll see one of his top eight schools this weekend.

On Monday, he told On3’s Hayes Fawcett that he’ll make the cross-country trek to Eugene and take an official visit to Oregon in the coming days.

Dan Lanning and the Ducks are battling a slew of top programs for one of the best pass-catchers in the 2026 cycle. Russell took an OV to LSU over the weekend, saw Florida again last month and will also take an OV to Florida State later this month.

Oregon had Russell on campus in April and he’ll now make a quick turnaround and head back to the Pacific Northwest to spend more time around the Big Ten program. Miami, Michigan, North Carolina and Syracuse are other teams still in the mix for Russell’s pledge.

Russell is the No. 33 overall prospect and No. 4 WR in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 2 player in Florida.

Playing under head coach Teddy Bridgewater last season, Russell acquired 18 touchdowns as Northwestern bulldozed its way to a state title. The Bulls went 14-2 and finished the year as the No. 6 team in Florida, per the On3 Composite Rankings.

Oregon has Top-10 class in 2026 cycle

Despite quickly losing a commitment from five-star EDGE Richard Wesley, Oregon still has seven commits in a class that ranks No. 10 in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

The ball got rolling for the Ducks well over a year ago with the addition of Scottsdale (Ariz.) Willamette four-star defensive lineman Tony Cumberland. Cumberland committed on Sept. 23, 2023 and has remained locked in ever since. He is currently the No. 103 recruit overall.

Kendre Harrison is one of the best tight ends in the country and committed to Oregon back in November. A five-star recruit, Harrison ranks No. 23 overall in the class.

“Oregon is the total package,” Harrison told On3. “I chose Oregon because of their player development, the coaching I will get there, the culture and the place. I like Eugene a lot.”

Four-star Tradarian Ball is the fifth-ranked running back in the country at No. 63 overall in the 2026 class. He joined the class this past summer in late July. As a junior for Texas High, Ball ran for 777 yards and 14 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps. He excelled as a receiver, too, hauling in 44 catches for 1,017 yards and 11 TDs.

Blue-chip linebacker Tristan Phillips out of Ventura (Calif.) joined the class in December and was followed in February by Florida-based four-star safety Xavier Lherisse, a top-50 recruit in the Sunshine State.

The entire Oregon class can be viewed here.

This story will be updated.

After winning its first two NCAA Tournament games, USC baseball entered Sunday on the cusp of its first super regional appearance in nearly two decades. With a victory over old Pac-12 foe Oregon State Sunday night, the Trojans would win the Corvallis Regional and head to the tournament’s second weekend for the first time since 2006.

Instead, however, USC suffered a humiliating blowout loss. The Beavers dominated the Trojans 14-1, setting up a winner-take-all game to decide the regional on Monday.

Things went awry from the start for the Trojans. After Brayden Dowd led off the first inning with a single, Ethan Hedges hit a double. Dowd was sent home by the third base coach despite there being no outs in the inning. Dowd was thrown out at the plate, and the Trojans did not score in the frame.

The very next inning, Oregon State was helped significantly by poor defense from USC. Everything the Trojans did so well in their tournament opener against TCU on Friday, they essentially threw out the window. They did the complete opposite in this game and allowed the contest to spiral out of control. Oregon State built a 6-1 lead with some line-drive singles, but also a number of infield hits USC fielders did not handle as well as they could have.

The game’s other turning point came in the fifth inning. Trailing 6-1, USC loaded the bases with no one out, a golden opportunity to get back in the game. Instead, however, the next three Trojans batters all struck out, and they did not get a single run across. The very next inning, Oregon State hit a three-run home run to go up 9-1, and the rout was on.

The two teams will now play a decisive winner-take-all game on Monday. The winner will move on to the super regionals to face Florida State, while the loser will go home. First pitch from Corvallis is set for 3 p.m. Pacific time on ESPNU and ESPN+.