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For the GOP, voting's not over yet Majority leader Snodgrass vies for Lundquist's seat as speaker BY PETER WONG The Oregon Legislature begins its 1999 session in 63 more days, but the most important votes its members may cast will come in the next couple of days. Republicans will remain the majority party in both chambers for a third straight session, but there will be changes aside from the 27 new representatives -- four of them from Southern Oregon -- and six senators elected last week. Senate Republicans, who lost three from their ranks and hold 17 of 30 seats, will meet today to choose a nominee for president. Brady Adams of Grants Pass is expected to win a second two-year term. House Republicans, who added three to their ranks and hold 34 of 60 seats, will meet Monday to choose a nominee for speaker. But the outcome is uncertain. Speaker Lynn Lundquist of Powell Butte, a moderate and a conciliator, faces a challenge for a second term from Majority Leader Lynn Snodgrass, a conservative who is more combative. The positions are important because the presiding officers control the flow of legislation by choosing the chairmen and members of all committees, assigning all bills to committees -- and setting priorities for issues. The minority Democrats, who have a newly re-elected Gov. John Kitzhaber on their side, will watch with more than casual interest. "Whoever gets chosen will have a lot to do with whatever agenda gets pushed forward in the session," said Rep. Judy Uherbelau of Ashland, a Democrat returning for her third and final session. "Though Republicans were the majority party in both chambers in 1997, the House was independent of the Senate and came to its own decisions. Lynn Snodgrass is saying that it should be something different this time." The House will have 27 new members, the most in 25 years, largely because Oregon's term limits opened up 22 seats. It will have 34 Republicans, 25 Democrats and one independent, Bob Jenson of Pendleton, who left the Democratic Party last year. No incumbents lost in the general election -- one lost in the primary -- but Republicans won three open Salem-area seats vacated by Democrats. Half the Republicans in the new House, including four who represent Jackson and Josephine counties, are newcomers to the House. The only one to take a public position on the leadership contest is Rep. Carl Wilson of Grants Pass, who has been serving by appointment for nine months. "My initial attitude is that change is not preferable for us as a caucus right now," he said. "I would like us to go into this session with the same leadership team we had last session. I think they learned a lot. "In an environment of term limits like this, I would say I would like to see things stay as they are." The other local Republicans say they have talked with Snodgrass, who made a special post-election trip to Southern Oregon, and Lundquist. "My concerns are what kind of agenda that person is going to put forward and how that person is going to involve the rest of us in developing that agenda," said incoming Rep. Rob Patridge of Medford. "That person also needs to demonstrate the ability to work with the Senate and the governor, and to have internal support. The speaker has to bring everyone together but also concentrate on mainstream issues that are important to Oregonians." With a bare majority of only 31 last session, Lundquist had to turn to the minority Democrats to forge bipartisan coalitions to pass key bills through the House. Snodgrass says she would work more closely with Senate Republicans, but their losses to Democrats may force them to be more moderate this session. "I have not made a commitment at this point," said incoming Rep. Susan Morgan of Myrtle Creek, whose district reaches into Jackson and Josephine counties. "As freshmen, we're trying to gather as much information as we can about who these people are and what their leadership styles are." Incoming Rep. Jason Atkinson of Jacksonville might be expected to side with the more conservative Snodgrass, but he said he has made no commitment. He said his key concerns have to do with the large incoming class of Republicans. "It demands that whoever is speaker pay attention and be a mentor to the freshman class, especially given term limits," he said. "I've raised that issue with both candidates. It makes our votes critically important because we have a majority within our own caucus. "Some of us will be making decisions about leadership with about 60 hours of elected office under our belts. It impels me to move slowly." The Senate probably will have the same leadership as last session, and just six new members, five of them from the House. But Democrats won three seats vacated by Republicans, narrowing the Republicans' advantage from 20 to 17. One Democrat bolted his caucus this year and became an independent, so the Democrats have 12 members. Sen. Lenn Hannon, a Republican from Ashland who was unopposed for a seventh and final four-year term, returns as one of the Senate's two senior members. The other is Senate Minority Leader Cliff Trow, D-Corvallis, who came to the Senate when Hannon did as a Democrat in 1975. Hannon met with Trow and Adams Friday in Salem. "What this session is going to require is that we are going to have to be more bipartisan in our efforts in the Senate this time," Hannon said. "We are going to have to build a consensus rather than throw down the gauntlet against the Democrats and say this is the way things will be done. I think the people will be better served in the end." Who will be in Salem Here are Southern Oregon's state legislators for the 1999 session, which starts Jan. 11: SENATE (4-year terms) District 26 (east half of Jackson County): Sen. Lenn Hannon, 55, Republican from Ashland, insurance agent, starting seventh and final four-year term. District 25 (southwest Jackson County and most of Josephine County): Sen. Brady Adams, 53, Republican from Grants Pass, bank president, second half of second and final term. District 23 (northwest Jackson County, northern Josephine County and part of Douglas County): Sen. Bill Fisher, 62, Republican from Roseburg, nursing home owner, second half of first term, two previous terms in House. District 24 (south coast): Sen. Veral Tarno, 61, Republican from Coquille, retired sheriff, second half of first term, two previous terms in House. HOUSE (2-year terms) District 50 (Medford): Rep. Rob Patridge, 29, Republican from Medford, deputy district attorney, newly elected. District 51 (southwest Jackson County, including Central Point; part of Josephine County): Rep. Jason Atkinson, 28, Republican from Jacksonville, management consultant, newly elected. District 52 (east Jackson County, including Ashland): Rep. Judy Uherbelau, 60, Democrat from Ashland, lawyer, third and final term. District 46 (northwest Jackson County, northern Josephine County, part of Douglas County): Rep. Susan Morgan, 49, Republican from Myrtle Creek, businesswoman, newly elected. District 49 (most of Josephine County): Rep. Carl Wilson, 46, Republican from Grants Pass, radio station co-owner, appointed Feb. 9 and newly elected. District 47 (parts of Coos, Douglas and Lane counties): Rep. Mike Lehman, 45, Democrat from Coos Bay, lawyer, third and final term. District 48 (Curry County and part of Coos County): Rep. Ken Messerle, 58, Republican from Coos Bay, consultant, second term. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA