Astoria, OR – Former Oregon State Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp is taking on a new challenge, co-chairing a statewide effort to push for term limits in Congress. Knopp will serve alongside Democrat Andrew Kalloch as co-chair of the Oregon chapter of U.S. Term Limits, a national advocacy organization that has been campaigning for congressional term limits since the 1990s.
U.S. Term Limits advocates for a constitutional amendment to limit U.S. House members to three terms and U.S. Senators to two terms. While the organization has long pushed for these changes at the national level, Knopp’s involvement comes after his own experience with legislative restrictions. In 2023, Knopp was barred from seeking re-election to his state Senate seat following a legislative walkout that violated Oregon’s Measure 113, which prohibits lawmakers from seeking re-election after accumulating 10 or more unexcused absences in a single legislative session.
Knopp’s new position will be unpaid, and he replaces Alek Skarlatos, who was elected to the state Legislature. The move to term limits has garnered strong bipartisan support across the country, with a 2023 survey from the Pew Research Center showing that 87% of Americans favor limiting the terms of members of Congress.
“For many, serving in Congress has become a lifelong entitlement rather than a public service,” Knopp said in a statement. “Term limits will help improve accountability, diversify Congress, and make government work better for all Americans.”
The push for term limits faces a challenging path, requiring a two-thirds vote in both the U.S. House and Senate, as well as approval from 38 state legislatures. However, Knopp and Kalloch remain hopeful that the public’s strong support for the issue can drive political action.
Knopp’s political career began in 1999, when he was first elected to the Oregon House of Representatives. He quickly gained attention for his ambition and leadership skills, eventually serving as House Majority Leader. After deciding not to seek re-election in 2003 to spend more time with his family, Knopp returned to politics in 2012, winning a primary race against incumbent Republican Chris Telfer. He served in the Oregon Senate until the Oregon Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that lawmakers who participated in the 2023 legislative walkout would be disqualified from seeking re-election.
Despite the setback, Knopp is now focused on national reform efforts. His work with U.S. Term Limits is part of a broader push to reform how long-serving lawmakers operate in Washington, D.C., with an emphasis on creating more opportunities for fresh perspectives and greater accountability within Congress.
