U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, speaks about his retirement in Portland on Oct. 31, 2023. (Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle)
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As he prepares to step down from Congress after a political career that spanned five decades, Democratic U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer is ever more certain he made the right choice.
The 76-year-old Portlander, known in his home state and in Washington, D.C., for his uniform of a bow tie and brightly-colored bike pin and focus on livability issues, has never been a particularly flashy or famous politician. He acknowledged that in his final floor speech earlier this month, highlighting the new bike lanes and a visa program he worked on as he urged new members of Congress to find ways to work together.