Grattan Kerans

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Grattan Kerans
Member of the Oregon State Senate
In office
1986–1993
Succeeded by Pete Sorenson
Constituency Lane County
56th Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
In office
1983–1984
Preceded by Hardy Myers
Succeeded by Vera Katz
Constituency Lane County
Member of the Oregon House of
Representatives
In office
1974–1984
Constituency Lane County
Personal details
Born (1941-01-02) January 2, 1941
Washington, D. C.
Political party Democratic
Profession Politician

Grattan Kerans (born January 2, 1941)[1] is an American politician from Oregon. He was a member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly in the House of Representatives from 1974 through 1984, and in the Oregon State Senate from 1986 to 1993. He held the position of Speaker of the House during the 1983 legislative session.

Early years

Kerans was born in 1941 in Washington, D.C. He attended the University of Oregon.[2] There he was editor of the Oregon Daily Emerald, the school's student newspaper from 1970 to 1971.[2]

Political career

In 1974, he won election to the Oregon House of Representatives, and continued to serve through the 1983 legislature.[3] During that session he was elected by the House as Speaker.[3] Kerans gave up the seat in the House in 1984 to run for Oregon State Treasurer.[3] He was the Democratic nominee, but lost to Republican Bill Rutherford. He then worked one year as a lobbyist for the City of Eugene.[3]

During the fall of 1987 he joined the Oregon for Dukakis State Steering Committee and was one of 25 members of the steering committee introduced by Kitty Dukakis at an airport press conference.[4] At the Oregon Democratic State Convention in 1988 Kerans was one of ten Oregon Democrats elected as Dukakis delegates to the 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia.[5] Other prominent Oregon Democrats that were elected with Kerans were Secretary of State Barbara Roberts, State Representative Tom Mason, and State Representative David Dix.[5]

Kerans returned to the Oregon Legislative Assembly after election to the Oregon State Senate from Lane County in 1986.[3] In 1987, he was the lone dissenter in a 24–1 vote appointing Richard G. Reiten as the new director of the state Economic Development Department.[6] Kerans was concerned about Reiten's membership in the all-male all-men's Arlington Club, even though Reiten himself was open to the club allowing women to join. Kerans doubted the Arlington Club would change its policies stating, "This is, after all, a 124-year-old club and they haven't changed their minds yet."[6] In 1990, Arlington Club opened its doors to women.[7] Kerans won re-election in 1990, but resigned in 1993, before his term was over, to take a job as a lobbyist.[3] He had failed to win election as Senate President during the 1993 session.[3]

Later years

Following his years in the legislature, Kerans worked as a lobbyist for the Oregon University System beginning in 1993 until 2004.[3][8][9][10] He and his wife Janet retired to Tucson, Arizona in 2008.

References

  1. ↑ Sharp, Nancy Weatherly; Sharp, James Roger (1997). American legislative leaders in the West : 1911 - 1994 (1. publ. ed.). Westport, Conn. [u.a.]: Greenwood Press. p. 160. ISBN 031330212X. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hernandez, Romel (June 16, 1996). "Class of 1996 Class of 1971". The Oregonian. pp. A20. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 The Associated Press (August 19, 1993). "Kerans to resign Senate seat". The Oregonian. pp. E3. 
  4. ↑ "Katz, others join Dukakis camp" The Oregonian. November 7, 1987
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Clark to go to Atlanta for Dukakis" The Oregonian. June 19, 1988.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mapes, Jeff. "Reiten wins approval as economic director" The Oregonian. August 14, 1987.
  7. ↑ Schwartz, Matt. "Behind the Seersucker Curtain" Willamette Week. July 14, 1999
  8. ↑ Mapes, Jeff (February 26, 1995). "Capitol Letter: The revolving door might hit lawmakers on their way out". The Oregonian. pp. B1. 
  9. ↑ Carter, Steven (August 5, 2003). "Senate OKs bill allowing universities more freedom". The Oregonian. 
  10. ↑ Wong, Peter (June 5, 2001). "University tuition set to increase". Statesman Journal. pp. 1C. 

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