Clayton Klein

Clayton Klein
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
from the 50th district
In office
1977–1981
Preceded byAl Densmore[1]
Succeeded byRebecca DeBoer[2]
Personal details
Born (1949-11-13) November 13, 1949 (age 75)
Tillamook, Oregon, U.S.[3]
Political partyDemocratic

Clayton C. Klein Jr. (born November 13, 1949)[3] is a former member of the Oregon House of Representatives, representing Central Point, Oregon, and portions of Jackson County, Oregon, United States. He served two terms, from January 1977 through 1980, in the 59th Oregon Legislative Assembly[4] and the 60th (in 1979),[5] as well as a 1980 special session.[6]

A Democrat, Clayton Klein was first elected to the Oregon Legislature in November 1976, taking office in January 1977. During his first term, he argued in favor of legislation, which ultimately did not pass, that would have lowered the legal drinking age from 21 to 18.[7] A few years earlier, while attending Southern Oregon College, he had been co-leader of a student group pushing to place on the ballot a measure asking Oregon voters to make that change.[8]

Klein was reelected in November 1978 to a second two-year term.[9] In January 1979, he was elected House majority whip by his fellow legislators.[10][11]

He ran again for the seat in 1980, but was defeated in the November general election by Republican Rebecca DeBoer.[12]

  1. ^ "Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, 1975 Regular Session (58th)". Oregon State Archives. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  2. ^ "Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, 1981 Regular Session (61st)". Oregon State Archives. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Paul Anthony Theis; Edmund Lee Henshaw, eds. (1991). Who's Who in American Politics, Volume 2. Bowker. p. 1349. ISBN 9780835230124. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  4. ^ "Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, 1977 Regular Session (59th)". Oregon State Archives. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  5. ^ "Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, 1979 Regular Session (60th)". Oregon State Archives. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  6. ^ "Alphabetical List of Oregon's Legislators and Related Information, Provincial Government to Present" (PDF). Legislative Administration Committee, State of Oregon. 1993. p. 75. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  7. ^ "Youths testify in favor of lower drinking age". (April 27, 1977). The Oregonian, p. D4.
  8. ^ "'Liquor at 18' drive launched by students". (October 21, 1971). The Oregonian, p. 30.
  9. ^ McDonough, Sandra (November 8, 1978). "GOP gains in Legislature; leadership changes seen". The Oregonian, p. C5.
  10. ^ "Demos tab Kerans for key House post". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. January 16, 1979. p. 10A. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  11. ^ McDonough, Sandra (January 16, 1979). "Kerans gets Demos' votes as leader". The Oregonian, p. B4.
  12. ^ "Demos retain control of Oregon Legislature". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. November 6, 1980. p. 40. Retrieved October 12, 2014.