Some Democrats want new leadership. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden says he has what it takes to resist Trump

Oregon’s WASCO Oregon Despite mounting pressure on aging Democratic officeholders to make way for a new generation, Sen. Ron Wyden, who has served in Congress for five decades, is not showing any signs of resigning.

When he turns 79 in 2028, he says he intends to run for reelection. Throughout his time in the Senate, he has visited all 36 counties in Oregon, and he plans to continue doing so.

Following a recent town hall in conservative Sherman County’s Wasco, Wyden stated that while age-related questions are up for debate, he is still capable of carrying out his duties and opposing the policies of Republican President Donald Trump.

In an interview with The Associated Press, he stated, “I think you should be held accountable.” However, I believe that the Founding Fathers desired a practical, results-driven approach to governance, and that is what I am attempting to do. I also possess the energy.

Calls for a new generation of leaders

Joe Biden’s choice to run for a second term in the White House at the age of 81 has left many Democrats in a state of lingering distress. After he left in July 2024, Trump defeated Kamala Harris, who was vice president at the time.

Amanda Litman, co-founder and president of Run for Something, an organization that backs progressive young candidates, stated, “I have repeatedly called for all elected officials over the age of 70 to make this their final term in order to step down with dignity and make room for the next generation of leaders.”

Biden’s late withdrawal, according to many Democrats, cost the party the presidency. Several Democratic senators, like Illinois’s Dick Durbin, 80, have declared this year that they will not run for reelection. Two years after Wyden joined the House, Durbin’s congressional career got underway in 1983.

Litman expressed her want for another Democrat to run against Wyden.

“I believe that as a party, we make our beliefs known through competitive primaries in particular,” she remarked.

Every Oregonian counts

Wyden is still visiting voters of all political persuasions throughout his state. The town hall in Wasco was the 1,125th he has conducted in his career and the 23rd he has held this year. At a former elementary school surrounded by wind turbines and wheat fields, about 20 people assembled.

Wyden informed them that every Oregonian matters, regardless of where they reside.

The senator claims that in a time of growing polarization, the traditional town hall format has emerged as a crucial communication tool as other Democrats struggle with strategy.

He told the AP, “I think town meetings are more important now than ever because they give a community a chance to work through some of the polarization and mistrust.”

In contrast, House Republicans have mostly shunned town hall gatherings in recent months, where they frequently encounter demonstrators. In smaller settings that they can manage, the National Republican Campaign Committee recently urged GOP members to advocate for the new tax breaks and budget reduction bill.

A civil exchange

Approximately 75% of Sherman County residents voted for Trump in November of last year, and Wyden hasn’t won the roughly 2,000-person county since 2004. In contrast to the boisterous crowds that other members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, have recently encountered, the modest town hall meeting was notable for its decorum.

In Wasco, Wyden met with a small group of Republicans, Democrats, and independents and spoke extensively about democracy, trade, and health care. Some thanked Wyden for coming, while others waited to be called upon.

A question posed by 71-year-old Charlie Hogue struck at the core of Democratic worries that leaders aren’t resisting Trump vigorously enough.

He stated, “I’m starting to lose hope because the current administration disregards court orders. I thought we had checks and balances in this country.” Do you have a plan, or are the Democrats merely going to message for the upcoming elections?

Wyden gave examples of his challenges to Trump, including a recent trip to Canada where the senator discussed trade with the prime minister and talks about tariffs with wheat growers in Oregon.

T.L. Fassbender, 76, questioned why Democrats appear to be in favor of illegal immigrants.

Wyden said that he thought the immigration system was flawed and pointed out that a bipartisan border bill that was opposed by then-candidate Trump last year failed in the Senate.

The senator made another attempt after Fassbender stated in the subsequent exchange that he didn’t believe Wyden had addressed his query.

For instance, Wyden stated, “I don’t think that should be something that is protected as part of legislation if someone has committed a crime.” Unfortunately, what has been happening is that some government agencies have been snooping up innocent people.

Wyden mentioned that his parents were escaping Nazi Germany when they arrived in the United States when the topic of immigration came up later.

According to him, legitimate immigration strengthens and improves our nation.

Pursuing the Epstein records

Wyden has recently become one of the most vocal Democrats calling for additional details regarding the Jeffrey Epsteins trafficking case. The endeavor, which has turned into a political crisis for Trump, is not new to him.

Supporters of the president are upset that his administration broke its pledge to make the records of the investigation into the rich financier’s sex exploitation of minors public. The FBI and Justice Department recently denied that there was an Epstein client list, reversing a previous administration-promoted belief.

Long before the issue reappeared, Wyden, the leading Democrat on the influential Senate Finance Committee, had been demanding Epstein’s financial documents.

After the Wasco town hall, he told the AP, “We spent three years following the money.” And we will not give up until the facts are known.

Democrats who are struggling with low voter morale and party strategy, according to Wyden, ought to meet more often in conservative communities so they can gain insight from their constituents.

According to an old proverb, “the majority of life is just showing up,” he added. However, because there is a perception that this is rigged, it is particularly significant in government.

By Claire Rush, an AP report