ites ▁his ▁commit ment ▁to ▁public ▁service ▁as ▁stem ming ▁from ▁an ▁incident ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁when , ▁after ▁his ▁family ▁home ▁was ▁destroyed ▁by ▁a ▁fire , ▁the ▁community ▁came ▁together ▁to ▁re build ▁it . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁Oregon ▁State ▁Senator ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Ass istant ▁Senate ▁Minor ity ▁Le ader , ▁and ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Business , ▁H ous ing ▁and ▁Fin ance ▁Committee . ▁He ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁Bi Part isan ▁Tour ism ▁C au cus , ▁and ▁the ▁Fish ▁and ▁Wild life ▁C au cus , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁Oregon ▁Count ies ▁Legisl ative ▁Committee . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Education ▁Commission ▁of ▁the ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁C lack am as ▁County ▁Econom ic ▁Development ▁Commission . ▁ ▁Upon ▁leaving ▁the ▁Senate , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁C lack am as ▁County ▁Commission er ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁five ▁times ▁as ▁chair . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁he ▁narrow ly ▁won ▁the ▁closest ▁legisl ative ▁race ▁in ▁Oregon ▁against ▁first - time ▁candidate ▁Dem ocrat ▁T oby ▁F ors berg ▁for ▁the ▁Oregon ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁seat ▁held ▁by ▁former ▁Minor ity ▁Le ader ▁Wayne ▁Scott . ▁He ▁won ▁four ▁more ▁two - year ▁terms ▁before ▁opt ing ▁not ▁to ▁seek ▁re - e lection ▁in ▁ 2 0