About Dave

Hunt familyRepresentative Dave Hunt is serving his fifth term in the Oregon House of Representatives representing Clackamas County.

During his term as House Speaker, Hunt led passage of bills that are creating thousands of jobs including health care coverage for all 85,000 uninsured Oregon children and the largest transportation package in Oregon history (including record funding for Clackamas County’s Sunrise Corridor, Oregon City’s Highway 213/Washington Street Jughandle Project, and an additional lane at the intersection of Interstates 5 & 205).

Dave Hunt is a pragmatic problem-solver who works across party lines to get things done. He has authored successful legislation to:
 

  • Create Oregon’s first Rainy Day Fund to enhance long-term budget stability,
  • Expand Head Start and other early childhood education services,
  • Reform Oregon’s unfair double majority election law,
  • Give low-income kids and seniors access to farmers markets and summer lunches,
  • Cut unemployment taxes for businesses while extending benefits for workers,
  • Increase State Trooper coverage on Oregon highways,
  • Protect unincorporated areas from forced annexation,
  • Improve benefits for veterans, soldiers, and their families,
  • Protect religious free exercise,
  • Expand children’s health insurance and care,
  • Strengthen Oregon’s transportation infrastructure,
  • Protect seniors from identity theft,
  • Cut taxes on Oregon agricultural cooperatives,
  • Strengthen the rights of organ donors,
  • Require mandatory ignition interlock devices for drunk drivers,
  • Protecting Willamette River fish and fishermen from California sea lions,
  • Fund capital construction for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities,
  • Increase funding for domestic violence survivors in our county,
  • Create a one-stop regulatory and financing shop for small businesses.

A Northwest native, Hunt attended Sheldon High School in Eugene and Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in Political Science and American Government.

Since 2001, Hunt has been employed as Executive Director of the Columbia River Channel Coalition and the Association of Pacific Ports, working to enhance trade and job opportunities.

He was elected to the Oregon City School Board in 1999 and served until 2003, including service as Vice Chair.

Since beginning his legislative service in 2003, Hunt has been elected by his legislative colleagues to serve as House Democratic Leader, Majority Leader, and Speaker of the House.  He has also chaired the House Rules Committee and the Transportation & Economic Development Committee.

Hunt served a two-year term as the youngest-ever national President of American Baptist Churches USA, which represents 5,500 churches and 1.5 million members. He has also been involved with the Oregon City Rotary Club, Clackamas County Committee on Citizen Involvement, Jennings Lodge Community Planning Organization, Friends of Jennings Lodge and Candy Lane Schools Foundation, both the North Clackamas and Oregon City Chambers of Commerce, and Southlake Church.

Dave Hunt and his wife Tonia, who works for the Children's Trust Fund of Oregon, have been married for 20 years and have two children: Andrew, age 17, and Emily, age 13.