Senator Rob Wagner Contact information

State Senator Rob Wagner (he/him/his) represents Oregon Senate District 19, which includes the communities of Tualatin, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Rivergrove, Durham and Southwest Portland. He was elected to serve as President of the Oregon Senate at the beginning of the 2023 legislative session. President Wagner has played a key role in the statewide budgeting process, emphasizing fiscal responsibility and strategic investments for critical programs statewide, while simultaneously listening to the needs of his community.

President Wagner grew up in his Senate District and graduated from Lake Oswego High School. A sense of dedication to public service was instilled in him at a young age by his parents, who both remain active in their community. President Wagner’s mother started the education programs at Tryon Creek State Park, where his father still teaches bird watching. Both of President Wagner’s sisters are public school teachers in Portland, and his brother is a park ranger with Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation.

President Wagner received his bachelor’s degree from Portland State University and went on to earn his master’s degree in public policy from The George Washington University. His introduction to the Oregon Legislature came early, serving as a legislative aide in the Oregon House of Representatives in the late 1990s. His passion for education led him to a position with American Federation of Teachers Oregon, where he spent a decade advocating for Oregon’s teachers, faculty, healthcare workers and academic support professionals. He went on to become the Associate Vice President of College Advancement for Portland Community College, overseeing community outreach and working to secure student scholarship funding. ​

President Wagner and his wife, Laurie, share four wonderful kids, three of whom are pursuing their educational futures at colleges across the country. An avid and lifelong hiker, one of President Wagner’s favorite views in all of Oregon is from the summit of South Sister in the Central Cascades. He also enjoys playing piano, singing and playing guitar. ​

President Wagner has spearheaded legislation with a larger goal of promoting access, equity, and inclusiveness in Oregon schools. You can sign up for more updates on key legislation here.

In his first year in office in 2018, President Wagner worked with his colleagues to pass legislation that closed the intimate partner loophole, keeping guns out of the hands of convicted stalkers. President Wagner also supported legislation that requires greater transparency in prescription drug pricing so that those who depend on life-saving medicine will know they are getting a fair deal.

He has gone on to put his passion for education to good use by championing a wide variety of legislation geared toward keeping students safe and better preparing them for their lives after graduation, including:

Senate Bill 52 (2019), requiring school districts to develop plans and policies to prevent youth suicide Senate Bill 664 (2019), requiring Holocaust and genocide education in high school Senate Bill 3 (2019), permitting community colleges to offer applied baccalaureate degree programs Senate Bill 3 (2023), requiring personal finance and higher education and career path education in high school Senate Bill 1502 (2024), requiring educational boards to record public meetings and upload recordings online

In 2020, he was elected by the Democratic caucus as Senate Majority Leader. President Wagner led the Democratic caucus during the COVID-19 pandemic as legislators worked to support their communities with direct investments into schools, small businesses and critical projects.​

As Senate President, he has led the chamber with three core beliefs: good ideas come from anywhere; his door is always open; and there is always room for kindness. Under his leadership, the Senate has passed the vast majority of its legislation with bipartisan support, funded the largest K-12 and higher education budgets in state history, and tackled the biggest issues facing our state, including housing affordability and future-proof job growth. ​

Come by the office and he’ll share his steel string and a John Denver or Beatles tune.