Earl Blumenauer

Earl Francis Blumenauer (/ˈbluːmənaʊ.ər/ BLOOM-ə-nowər; born August 16, 1948) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Oregon's 3rd congressional district from 1996 to 2025. The district includes most of Portland east of the Willamette River. As a member of the Democratic Party, Blumenauer previously spent over 20 years as a public official in Portland, including serving on the Portland City Council from 1987 to 1996, when he succeeded Ron Wyden in the U.S. House of Representatives. Wyden was elected to the U.S. Senate after Bob Packwood resigned. Blumenauer is known for his distinctive bow ties and neon bicycle lapel pins. Blumenauer gifts his signature bike pins to fellow congressmen, interns, and staffers. Since January 2025, Blumenauer serves as a senior fellow at Portland State University and as special advisor to university president Ann Cudd. Blumenauer was born in Portland on August 16, 1948. In 1966, he graduated from Centennial High School on Portland's east side and then enrolled at Lewis & Clark College. He majored in political science and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lewis & Clark in 1970.