Jeff Kruse

Who is Jeff Kruse?

Jeff Kruse is a Republican member of the Oregon Senate, representing the 1st District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from 1996 through 2004. He was re-elected in 2008 for another four-year term.

In July 2013, Sen. Kruse gained national attention by appearing in a CNN video news story about a Bill he sponsored. His Bill would reverse an existing Oregon law requiring public schools to remove what some colleagues consider "racist" and "insensitive" references to Native Americans on their sports team's uniforms. Prior to the enactment of the 2012 Oregon law, the State Superintendent of Schools had determined that the continued use of Native American mascots has created a "hostile educational environment." Schools have been given until 2017 to comply with the required change. In defending his Bill, Sen. Kruse has asked: "do we change the entire world for the small few [sic]?