Senator Ron Wyden Bio and Wiki

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(James Stickler had left a voicemail message on March 3, threatening to chop off the U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s tongue. Source: Oregonlive)

Senator Ronald Lee Wyden is an American educator and politician. He has been serving as a senior U.S. Senator from Oregon under the Democrats since 1996. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996. He is also the dean of Oregon’s congressional delegation.

Wyden was born in Wichita, Kansas on May 3, 1949. He was born to a Jewish parent that fled Nazi Germany. Yet, Wyden grew up in California. There, he attended the Palo Alto High School, where he was a basketball player.

He later enrolled at the University of California on a basketball scholarship. But, he transferred to Stanford University. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Arts at Stanford in 1971. He furthered and earned a J.D. at the University of Oregon School of Law in 1974. 

After his J.D., Wyden co-founded the Oregon Gray Panthers in 1974. There, he worked as an advocate for the elderly. He also taught Gerontology at Oregon University. Three years later, he worked as a director of the Oregon Legal Services for the Elderly till 1979. He also served on the Oregon Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators.

Senator Ron Wyden Career

Wyden started his career in politics in 1980 when he ran for a seat at the U.S. House of Reps. He conveniently defeated the incumbent and won 71% of the votes during the general election. He assumed office in 1981 and was re-elected seven times till 1996.

In 1996, Senator Robert Packwood resigned from the U.S. Senate. Wyden ran for his seat in a special election and defeated Oregon Senate President by a narrow margin. He assumed office the following year. He was elected again in the 1998 general election with 61% of the votes. He was re-elected in 2004, 2010, and 2016.

Senator Ron Wyden Accomplishments

(Oregon’s U.S. Senator Ron Wyden On Green Energy. Source: Bendsource)

Wyden has shown relentless support for promoting national security. He has also championed the promotion of cyber security. He was one of the Senators that demanded multifactor authentication to secure valuable information. He also called for mandatory data reviews for software. Besides, Wyden has been a leading voice in forming and implementing effective defense and foreign policies.

Wyden’s administration has taken the lead in promoting economic reform and development in the state. He supported the North American Free Trade Agreement. He has also supported many other trade reforms and deals to bolster economic development. 

Also, Wyden has worked towards improving infrastructure. He sponsored the Build America Bonds Program in support of infrastructural development. He has also worked to promote science, technology, and e-commerce. 

In the healthcare sector, Wyden has shown relentless support for the promotion of affordable healthcare. He sponsored the Healthy American act. He also supported increased Medicare funding.

Apart from all these, he has also worked in areas of immigration, technology, and environmental development.

Senator Ron Wyden Criticisms

(Senator Ron Wyden reacts to news of the Mueller Investigation. Source: Nbc16)

Wyden was one of the Senators that voted for the impeachment of former President Trump. Wyden revealed that Trump was involved in a record-breaking money laundering case.

Wyden voted against the nomination of Brouillette in committee. He stated his concerns that Brouillette is withholding Information about Perry’s role. At a confirmation hearing, Wyden questioned both Perry and Brouillette. This led to criticism that Wyden was just selfish because he wanted to hold the post as Secretary of the Department of Energy.

Senator Ron Wyden Net Worth

According to Incomepedia, Senator Ron Wyden net worth is estimated at about $13.5 million.

Final Thoughts

Wyden has earned a reputation as a liberal politician who fostered on serving his people. He has secured a landmark healthcare and economic achievement for his people.

But, Wyden’s administration was criticized for his known disdain for former President Trump. He was also accused of being selfish after voting against the Secretary of Department of Energy nominee. Yet, none of these affected his political career.

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Sabrina is a former campaign manager who has decided to focus her effort to help people contact senators and get help. She leads our Editorial Team with Ronald and Lawrence to curate content and resources that help us navigate the system.

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