SALEM, Ore. (AP) — When Oregon voters elected a tied House, Republicans got shared control of the chamber and new clout they hadn’t enjoyed in years.
The GOP still had a distinct disadvantage with Democrats controlling the Senate and governor’s office. But they had enough power to block things they don’t like, and they’ve used that small as both a roadblock and a bargaining chip. They’ve managed to frustrate Democrats and put a clear Republican imprint on public policy.
They’ve expanded both online and traditional charter schools, and they’ve blocked plenty of Democratic bills. They stood in the way of a measure that would have allowed some illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public universities and another that would have banned a potentially harmful chemical from baby bottles and children’s sippy cups.
