Oregon GOP senators who boycotted Legislature file federal lawsuit in new effort to seek...

Republican state senators in Oregon who boycotted the Legislature for a record six weeks earlier this year have filed a federal lawsuit as part of their efforts to seek reelection despite a recent voter-approved measure aimed at preventing walkouts.

The senators are challenging an amendment to the state constitution approved by voters last year that bars lawmakers from reelection if they have 10 or more unexcused absences. The measure passed by a wide margin following GOP walkouts in the Legislature in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Confusion over its wording has sparked a debate over what the consequences of this year’s walkout would be for boycotting senators.

Three Republican state senators, along with three county Republican central committees and two voters, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Oregon on Monday. In the complaint, Sens. Dennis Linthicum, Brian Boquist and Cedric Hayden — who all racked up more than 10 unexcused absences during this year’s walkout — argue that expressing their political views through protest is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and shouldn’t disqualify them from reelection.