Supermajorities in the offing: let's see they aren't abused

Marion County’s House District 22, which encompasses Woodburn, Gervais, Brooks and the northern reaches of Salem, is arguably the most distinctive legislative district in the state. It has also been one of the most hotly contested in this year’s balloting, drawing a massive infusion of cash, tilting about 2-1 toward the GOP side.

Now that Democrats have won a crucial Senate swing district in increasingly blue-leaning Deschutes County, their hopes of regaining 60% supermajorities in both chambers depend on which way House 22 falls. What’s more, the outcome may not be known until final results are certified Dec. 2, and could hinge on a recount, though the Democratic challenger has edged into a slim lead.

House 22 is the only one of Oregon’s 90 legislative districts in which minority voters, mostly Hispanic, enjoy an outright majority. It is also the smallest by far, encompassing fewer than 40,000 voters, compared to a state average of 51,400 on the House side and roughly double that on the Senate side.

Democrats relied on a registration edge to prevail until Republican Tracy Cramer squeaked through two years ago. She took advantage of the district’s unusually high share of unaffiliated voters and unusually low record of voter turnout, winning the seat with just 8,742 votes.

This year, she led by several percentage points in the early Nov. 5 returns. But labor organizer Lesly Munoz kept chipping away on the Democratic side, creeping into a 1-vote lead late the night of Nov. 7.

At last report, Munoz was up by 132 votes in virtually complete returns, and Cramer needed to come within 41 to trigger an automatic recount. That makes a Democratic victory increasingly likely.

We see looming danger in that. Here’s why:

Of the five top state offices, only two, secretary of state and labor commissioner, have been held by Republicans at any point so far this century. A sweep in this year’s attorney general, secretary of state and state treasurer races keeps all five in Democratic hands, giving the party a lock at the executive branch.

Oregon’s majority party also increased its hold on our congressional delegation. In addition to both Senate seats, it now holds a commanding five of our six U.S. House seats.

Democrats have typically held supermajorities in one or both state legislative chambers in recent years, giving them a decidedly upper hand in the state legislative branch as well. The 2022 election left them one seat short in each, but they went all out to rectify that this year.

Here’s where that matters most: Enacting new tax measures, like the one the Joint Committee on Transportation is eying in the face of declining gas tax revenue, requires 60% support. That takes 18 seats in the Senate and 36 in the House, which now appears within Democratic reach.

True democracy is messy and time-consuming. It takes compromise, collaboration and negotiation, which can tax the patience of even the most even-tempered.

If the minority can simply be brushed aside when the going gets tough, the majority comes under great temptation to do so. That’s what prompted the bitter Republican walkouts of recent years, which a citizen initiative appears to have curbed going forward.

We don’t believe the Republican Party won a mandate to strongarm on the federal level by virtue of its victories on both the executive and legislative levels, however impressive they may seem at first blush.

We apply to same standard to the Democratic Party here at home. And we not only argue for exercise of restraint as a matter of principle, but also as a matter of practicality.

A society enjoys the best long-term prospects term when its governing policies help individual members prosper on a fair and equitable basis, with no one element being materially disadvantaged. It’s based on the premise that a rising tide should float all boats equally.

That’s most obviously manifested here in the balance struck between urban and rural interests, which differ markedly in ways not well appreciated by partisans. Consistently slighting rural needs, which Democrats are wont to do when sufficiently empowered, fosters anger and frustration, ultimately proving corrosive to the common good.

Yamhill County has a particular stake in that regard, based on its rural roots and strongly agricultural orientation. It lies on the edge of a great urban expanse, but remains largely on the outside looking in, which is reflected in its political leanings.

English author and historian Lord Acton famously observed, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” That’s something we should all be striving to prevent, regardless of our personal political affiliation.