Peter Courtney

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title: "Peter Courtney" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1943-births", "2024-deaths", "boston-university-school-of-law-alumni", "deaths-from-cancer-in-oregon", "democratic-party-members-of-the-oregon-house-of-representatives", "21st-century-members-of-the-oregon-legislative-assembly", "democratic-party-oregon-state-senators", "lawyers-from-salem,-oregon", "oregon-city-council-members", "politicians-from-trenton,-new-jersey", "politicians-from-salem,-oregon", "presidents-of-the-oregon-state-senate", "university-of-rhode-island-alumni", "western-oregon-university-faculty", "20th-century-american-lawyers", "20th-century-members-of-the-oregon-legislative-assembly"] description: "American politician (1943–2024)" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Courtney" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American politician (1943–2024) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

Field	Value
name	Peter Courtney
image	Peter Courtney Senate (cropped).jpg
caption	Courtney in 2011
office	55th President of the Oregon Senate
term_start	January 3, 2003
term_end	January 9, 2023
predecessor	Gene Derfler
successor	Rob Wagner
state_senate1	Oregon
district1	11th
term_start1	January 3, 1999
term_end1	January 9, 2023
predecessor1	Gene Derfler
successor1	Kim Thatcher
office2	Minority Leader of the
Oregon House of Representatives
term_start2	1991
term_end2	1999
predecessor2	David Dix
successor2	Kitty Piercy
state_house3	Oregon
district3	33rd
term_start3	1989
term_end3	1999
predecessor3	Mike Kopetski
successor3	Vic Backlund
term_start4	1981
term_end4	1985
predecessor4	Chick Edwards
successor4	Mike Kopetski
birth_name	Peter Michael Coleman Courtney
birth_date
birth_place
death_date
death_place	Salem, Oregon, U.S.
party	Democratic
spouse
education	University of Rhode Island (BA, MPA)
Boston University (JD)
signature	Peter Courtney vector.svg
::

|name = Peter Courtney |image = Peter Courtney Senate (cropped).jpg |caption = Courtney in 2011 |office = 55th President of the Oregon Senate |term_start = January 3, 2003 |term_end = January 9, 2023 |predecessor = Gene Derfler |successor = Rob Wagner |state_senate1 = Oregon |district1 = 11th |term_start1 = January 3, 1999 |term_end1 = January 9, 2023 |predecessor1 = Gene Derfler |successor1 = Kim Thatcher |office2 = Minority Leader of the Oregon House of Representatives |term_start2 = 1991 |term_end2 = 1999 |predecessor2 = David Dix |successor2 = Kitty Piercy |state_house3 = Oregon |district3 = 33rd |term_start3 = 1989 |term_end3 = 1999 |predecessor3 = Mike Kopetski |successor3 = Vic Backlund |term_start4 = 1981 |term_end4 = 1985 |predecessor4 = Chick Edwards |successor4 = Mike Kopetski |birth_name = Peter Michael Coleman Courtney |birth_date = |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = Salem, Oregon, U.S. |party = Democratic |spouse = |education = University of Rhode Island (BA, MPA) Boston University (JD) |signature = Peter Courtney vector.svg

Peter Michael Coleman Courtney (June 18, 1943 – July 16, 2024) was an American politician, lawyer, and professor who was a Democratic member of the Oregon State Senate, representing the 11th District (in Marion County and including parts of Salem, Woodburn, and Gervais) from 1999 until 2023. He served as President of the Senate from 2003 to 2023, the longest tenure in state history.

Courtney was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from 1981 to 1985 and from 1989 through 1998. Courtney previously taught at Western Oregon University.

Early life

Courtney was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 18, 1943. He grew up in Moorestown, New Jersey, West Virginia, Rhode Island, and Virginia, the son of a life insurance agent. Both his parents earned college degrees, with his mother's degree in Latin.

In high school, Courtney played on the school's football team. He graduated from Boston University's law school, and then moved to Oregon in 1969 to become the law clerk of William S. Fort of the Oregon Court of Appeals.

Courtney arrived in Salem and stayed at the YMCA for two years.

Political career

Courtney's first political office was as a member of the Salem City Council where he served from 1974 until 1980. He was first elected to the Oregon Legislative Assembly in 1980 as a Democrat representing Marion and Polk counties in the Oregon House of Representatives.{{cite web | title = Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, 1981 Regular Session (61st) | work = Oregon State Archives | publisher = Oregon Secretary of State | url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785344 | access-date = June 19, 2016 | archive-date = April 25, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230425132251/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785344 | url-status = live

Courtney gave up his House seat to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, 5th district, in the 1984 primary. Courtney narrowly lost to state senator Ruth McFarland, who had been the 1982 nominee. In the House he served as Democratic leader for eight years, longer than anyone else had before him. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Peter_Courtney.jpg" caption="Courtney in June 2008"] ::

He avoided term limits by moving from the House to the Senate in 1999, representing only Marion County.{{cite web | title = Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, 1999 Regular Session (70th) | work = Oregon State Archives | publisher = Oregon Secretary of State | url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785356 | access-date = June 19, 2016 | archive-date = October 1, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191001204636/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785356 | url-status = live

In 2003, Courtney was selected as the President of the Oregon State Senate. The Senate was evenly divided between the state's major parties at the time, with 15 Democrats and 15 Republicans. Republican Lenn Hannon was chosen as President Pro-tem; the two were recognized as having forged a strong bipartisan working relationship during the previous legislature's five emergency sessions. Courtney was the longest-serving legislator and Senate President in Oregon's history. His support and advocacy in animal-related measures saw him labeled as a 2011 "Top Dog" by the Oregon Humane Society. In January 2022, Courtney announced he would not seek reelection to the Oregon Senate due to health issues.

Courtney served as co-chair of the Legislative Counsel Committee, the Legislative Policy and Research Committee, and the Legislative Administrative Committee.

Personal life

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/State_Senator_Peter_Courtney_(20800003333).jpg" caption="Courtney in September 2015"] ::

Courtney taught speech at Western Oregon University, and served as an administrator at the Monmouth school.

He worked as a political commentator for KPTV television and KSLM (now KZGD, as of 2020) radio. Courtney appeared in the documentary film Running Forward: Conquering Oregon's Hood to Coast Relay, that was released in 2011. He served on several boards of directors, and was a member of the Oregon State Bar.

In 2021, Courtney had one of his kidneys removed due to his ureteral cancer. He previously had colon cancer in the 1990s. In 2023, he was diagnosed with heart failure and in January 2024, had a heart valve replaced.

Courtney died from complications of cancer in Salem, on July 16, 2024, at the age of 81.

Electoral history

| title = 2006 Oregon State Senator, 11th district{{cite web | title = Official Results | November 7, 2006 | url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873552 | website = Oregon Secretary of State | access-date = October 30, 2023 | archive-date = September 10, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230910004315/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873552 | url-status = live }}}} | candidate = Peter Courtney | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 15,593 | percentage = 57.3}} | candidate = Jared Thatcher | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 10,814 | percentage = 39.7}} | candidate = Keith Humphrey | party = Constitution Party (United States) | votes = 767 | percentage = 2.8}} | votes = 49 | percentage = 0.2}} | votes = 27,223 | percentage = 100%}}

| title = 2010 Oregon State Senator, 11th district{{cite web | title = Official Results November 2, 2010 | url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873642 | website = Oregon Secretary of State | access-date = October 30, 2023 | archive-date = August 31, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230831080329/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873642 | url-status = live }}}} | candidate = Peter Courtney | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 14,883 | percentage = 54.6}} | candidate = Michael W Forest | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 12,280 | percentage = 45.1}} | votes = 90 | percentage = 0.3}} | votes = 27,253 | percentage = 100%}}

| title = 2014 Oregon State Senator, 11th district{{cite web | title = November 4, 2014, General Election, Official Abstract of Votes | url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873735 | website = Oregon Secretary of State | access-date = October 30, 2023 | archive-date = April 6, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230406223359/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873735 | url-status = live }}}} | candidate = Peter Courtney | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 16,179 | percentage = 54.3}} | candidate = Patricia Milne | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 13,442 | percentage = 45.1}} | votes = 178 | percentage = 0.6}} | votes = 29,799 | percentage = 100%}}

| title = 2018 Oregon State Senator, 11th district{{cite web | title = November 6, 2018, General Election Abstract of Votes | url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873825 | website = Oregon Secretary of State | access-date = October 30, 2023 | archive-date = April 6, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230406153942/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873825 | url-status = live }}}} | candidate = Peter Courtney | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 22,772 | percentage = 60.5}} | candidate = Greg Warnock | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 14,760 | percentage = 39.2}} | votes = 119 | percentage = 0.3}} | votes = 37,651 | percentage = 100%}}

References

References

1. [https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/courtney Senate President Peter Courtney.] {{Webarchive. link. (April 8, 2019 Oregon State Legislature. Retrieved October 10, 2007.)
2. Esteve, Harry. (November 30, 2004). "Converging paths to leadership: Two adept veterans who mix personal values and political skills will direct the 2005 legislature; Peter Courtney political everyman relies on dramatic, affable style". [[The Oregonian/OregonLive]].
3. "Senator Peter C. Courtney (OR)".
4. Shumway, Julia. (December 9, 2022). "Senate bids farewell to Peter Courtney, longest-serving president in Oregon history".
5. Towslee, Tom. (May 16, 1984). "Hatfield, incumbent House members easily win Oregon primary". [[United Press International]].
6. Jonsson, Patrik. (March 27, 2003). "Noah's Ark governance in North Carolina: Two House Speakers". [[The Christian Science Monitor]].
7. Steves, David. (January 14, 2003). "Oregon's Deadlocked State Senate Nears Leadership Deal". [[The Register-Guard]].
8. Wong, Peter. (November 14, 2020). "Courtney nominated for 10th term to lead the Oregon Senate".
9. "Senator Peter Courtney Biography".
10. "2011 Oregon Humane Society Legislative Scorecard".
11. Radnovich, Connor. (January 5, 2022). "Longtime Salem Democrat Sen. Peter Courtney announces he won't seek reelection". [[Statesman Journal]].
12. (June 30, 2019). "2019 Regular Session". Eightieth Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon.
13. Nielson-Stowell, Amelia. (March 4, 2011). "Reasons to Run: Documentary captures essence of Oregon relay". [[Deseret News]].
14. VanderHart, Dirk. (July 16, 2024). "Peter Courtney, legendary and longtime leader of Oregon's state Senate, has died". [[Oregon Public Broadcasting]].
15. Edge, Sami. (July 16, 2024). "Longtime Senate President Peter Courtney, a pivotal figure in Oregon politics, dies at 81".

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