Speaker Rosenbaum

Update: It looks like Rosenbaum did serve as Speaker of the House for 7 days during a transitional period after Jeff Merkley was elected to the U.S. Senate. Thanks to David for tipping me off. I think it's misleading to include her incredibly brief interim Speakership on a list of accomplishments. The general public wouldn't understand the circumstances or the shortness of her service.

Additionally, official state websites and Wikipedia should include her speakership. If someone served as speaker it should at least be noted for historical purposes. It doesn't matter if it's for 30 years or 30 minutes.

Note: I've edited the Wikipedia page to include a footnote noting Rosenbaum was a Speaker for 7 days. I also submitted the information to the Oregon Secretary of State. I am hopeful they will update their list of Oregon Speakers to include a brief footnote as well.


Senator Rosenbaum was elected Senate President Pro Tem last night. There are two very odd items in her statement. First:

Senate Democrats met in Salem this evening for a regularly scheduled caucus meeting.

Notice how it specifies a "regularly scheduled caucus meeting" (the statement goes on to mention the official vote will occur at a "regularly scheduled floor session"). Nothing bad ever happens at regularly scheduled caucus meetings right? In reality she's being demoted.

The second item is even more interesting:

Before being elected to the Senate, she served five terms in the Oregon House of Representatives, where she served as House Speaker, House Speaker Pro Tem, chair of House Rules, and House Whip. The Oregon Senate will vote on her nomination as President Pro Tempore on Tuesday, September 29.

There is no record of Rosenbaum ever serving as the Speaker of the Oregon House.