{{Short description|American politician (1942–2026)}} {{for|the American football player|Rod Monroe (American football)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Rod Monroe | image = Rod Monroe.jpg | image_size = 150px | caption = Monroe in 2016 | state_senate = Oregon | district = 24th | term_start = 2007 | term_end = 2019 | preceded = Frank Shields | succeeded = Shemia Fagan | office2 = Metro Councilor | term2 = 1993–1996, 1998–2004<ref name="metro roster">{{cite web |title=Metro Council Roster 1979 – 2018 |url=https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2018/03/22/Metro-council-roster-03222018.pdf |pages=4–6 |publisher=Metro |access-date=August 26, 2023 |date=March 2018 |archive-date=August 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827043217/https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2018/03/22/Metro-council-roster-03222018.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | state_senate3 = Oregon | district3 = 7th | term3 = 1981–1989 | preceded3 = Stephen Kafoury | succeeded3 = Shirley Gold | state_house4 = Oregon | district4 = 12th | term4 = 1977–1981 | preceded4 = Grace Olivier Peck | succeeded4 = Shirley Gold | birth_name = Wayne Roderick Monroe | birth_date = {{Birth date|1942|08|20}} | birth_place = McBride, British Columbia, Canada | death_date = {{Death date and age|2026|02|20|1942|08|20}} | death_place = Portland, Oregon, U.S. | party = Democrat | spouse = {{marriage|Billie Ballrot|1961}} | profession = Teacher | module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Rod Monroe voice.ogg|title=Rod Monroe's voice|type=speech|description=Monroe being interviewed by Bruce Broussard<br />Recorded August 30, 2011}} | alma_mater = Portland State College (BA, MA) }}
'''Wayne Roderick Monroe''' (August 20, 1942 – February 20, 2026) was an American politician who served in the Oregon Senate, representing District 24 in the middle part of Multnomah County, which includes most of eastern Portland and the city of Happy Valley.
== Early life and education == Born in McBride, British Columbia,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/state/legislative/senate-district.aspx|title=Oregon Blue Book: State Senators by District|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=April 8, 2010|archive-date=November 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108030025/https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/state/legislative/senate-district.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> Monroe was raised in Oregon and graduated from Portland's Franklin High School in 1960. He attended college at Warner Pacific University and received bachelor's and master's degrees from Portland State College (now Portland State University) in 1965 and 1969 respectively.<ref name=senbio>{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.or.us/monroe/bio.htm|title=Senator Rod Monroe|publisher=Oregon State Legislature|accessdate=October 9, 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829005617/http://www.leg.state.or.us/monroe/bio.htm|archivedate=August 29, 2010|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=vs>{{cite web|title=Rod Monroe|url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=56601|publisher=Project VoteSmart|accessdate=October 9, 2008|archive-date=May 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521065716/http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=56601|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Career == Monroe became a teacher at Tigard High School in Tigard, Oregon, in 1965, teaching history and government and later served on the David Douglas school board.<ref name="senbio" />
In 1976, Monroe was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives, representing District 12 in Portland. He served two terms and then was elected to the Oregon Senate in 1980, representing the 7th district in Portland. He was re-elected to a second Senate term in 1984.<ref name=obb>{{cite web|url=https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/Pages/records/legislators_guide.aspx|title=State Government Legislators and Staff|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=November 10, 2011|archive-date=May 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518034357/https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/Pages/records/legislators_guide.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> During this legislative tenure, Monroe was known for sponsoring safety-oriented legislation, such as mandatory seat belt laws, tougher drunk driving legislation, and bans on indoor smoking.<ref name=mapes>{{cite news|title=House's Gold seeks Monroe's Senate seat|last=Mapes|first=Jeff|date=December 3, 1987|work=The Oregonian}}</ref>
Monroe ran for the Democratic nomination in the 1986 U.S. Senate election in Oregon, but came in second behind Jim Weaver.<ref name=86dp>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=253141|title=Oregon US Senate Democratic Primary Race, May 20, 1986|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=March 23, 2010|archive-date=June 14, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614074819/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=253141|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 1988, he lost a close election in the Democratic primary to Oregon House Majority Leader Shirley Gold, who had been elected to Monroe's seat when he was elected to the Senate.<ref name=ota>{{cite news|title=New lawmakers predict more active, progressive Oregon Senate for 1989|last=Ota|first=Alan K.|date=May 19, 1988|work=The Oregonian}}</ref> In the 1990 Democratic primary, Monroe sought to upset incumbent Judy Bauman for a seat in the Oregon House, but he was narrowly defeated.<ref name=bella>{{cite news|title=Unopposed Bauman top fundraiser|last=Bella|first=Rick|date=October 9, 1990|work=The Oregonian}}</ref>
In 1992, Monroe was elected to the council of Metro,<ref name=mayer>{{cite news|title=Metro voters to decide races, greenspaces issues, home rule|last=Mayer|first=James|date=October 2, 1992|work=The Oregonian}}</ref> the regional government for greater Portland. He served three terms, where he advocated for federal funding of light rail projects and the Portland Streetcar, as well as for biking and pedestrian trails such as the Springwater Corridor.<ref name=senbio/> In 2004, he was defeated for a fourth term by environmentalist Robert Liberty.<ref name=oppenheimer>{{cite news|title=Liberty takes over Monroe's Metro seat|last=Oppenheimer|first=Laura|date=November 3, 2004|work=The Oregonian}}</ref>
In Oregon's 2006 legislative elections, Monroe was again elected to the Oregon Senate in the District 24 seat vacated by the retiring Frank Shields.<ref name=2006vote>{{cite news|title=How Oregon voted – election results|date=November 9, 2006|work=The Oregonian}}</ref>
In 2018, Monroe ran for reelection but was defeated in the Democratic primary by former state Representative Shemia Fagan. Fagan ran unopposed in the general election later that year and won the election to become Monroe's successor in the state Senate.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/17/portland-democrat-rod-monroe-primary-loss-set-shift-oregon-senate-balance/621329002/|title=Portland Democrat's primary loss set to shift Oregon Senate balance|last=James|first=Tom|date=May 17, 2018|work=Statesman Journal|accessdate=May 10, 2019|archive-date=November 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101220740/https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/17/portland-democrat-rod-monroe-primary-loss-set-shift-oregon-senate-balance/621329002/|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Personal life and death == Monroe lived in Portland, Oregon, with his wife Billie, whom he married in 1961.<ref name=senbio/><ref>{{cite web|title=Former Local Resident Will Marry Sept. 1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sand-springs-leader-marriage-of-ballrot/193222217/|newspaper=Sand Springs Leader|page=2|date=July 20, 1961|access-date=March 12, 2026|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He died at his home in Portland on February 20, 2026, at the age of 83.<ref>[https://www.sweethomenews.com/longtime-state-sen-rod-monroe-dies-at-age-83/ Longtime state Sen. Rod Monroe dies at age 83]</ref><ref>[https://obits.oregonlive.com/us/obituaries/oregon/name/rod-monroe-obituary?id=60896423#:~:text=Rod%20Monroe%20passed%20away%20peacefully,and%20his%20cherished%20grandson%2C%20Miles. Rod Monroe] obituary</ref>
== Electoral history == {{Election box begin no change | title = 2006 Oregon State Senator, 24th district<ref>{{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 }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Rod Monroe | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 17,304 | percentage = 48.7}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = T.J. Reilly | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 15,483 | percentage = 43.6}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Ron McCarty | party = Independent (United States) | votes = 2,653 | percentage = 7.5}} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 85 | percentage = 0.2}} {{Election box total no change | votes = 35,525 | percentage = 100%}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2010 Oregon State Senator, 24th district<ref>{{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 }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Rod Monroe | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 18,337 | percentage = 51.9}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Rob Wheeler | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 16,905 | percentage = 47.8}} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 103 | percentage = 0.3}} {{Election box total no change | votes = 35,345 | percentage = 100%}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2014 Oregon State Senator, 24th district<ref>{{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 }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Rod Monroe | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 22,491 | percentage = 95.1}} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 1,155 | percentage = 4.9}} {{Election box total no change | votes = 23,646 | percentage = 100%}} {{Election box end}}
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
== External links == * [http://www.leg.state.or.us/monroe/ Legislative website] * [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=56601 Project VoteSmart biography]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monroe, Rod}} Category:1942 births Category:2026 deaths Category:Democratic Party Oregon state senators Category:Members of the Oregon House of Representatives Category:Politicians from Portland, Oregon Category:Portland State University alumni Category:Warner Pacific University alumni Category:People from the Regional District of Fraser–Fort George Category:School board members in Oregon Category:Franklin High School (Portland, Oregon) alumni Category:Schoolteachers from Oregon Category:Metro councilors (Oregon regional government) Category:21st-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly