Bottoms up: Happy Hour picks of 2017 freshmen
Published 8:00 am Thursday, January 5, 2017
About one-fifth of the Oregon Legislature will be new this year when the session kicks off Feb. 1.
Freshmen lawmakers often go into politics thinking they’ll be able to accomplish “the sun, moon and stars,” but once they get to Salem, political reality often sets in, said senior Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose.
“These folks are going to have a learning curve admittedly,” Johnson said.
It’s expected to be a difficult session with a looming $1.7 billion revenue shortfall and Democrats and Republicans, labor unions and business, at odds over how to fix it. Now and then, after a long day of policymaking these new lawmakers might need a drink.
Several of this year’s freshmen revealed to Oregon Capital Insider some of their favorite adult drinks. Here’s a rundown of what they might be drinking after a hard day at the Capitol:
Rep. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, drinks unsweetened iced tea most of the time, but when she needs “a leaded version,” she turns to ice cold beer, brand unspecified.
Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, thinks of herself more as “an (Oregon) IPA girl.”
Sen. Dennis Linithicum, R-Beatty, considers diet soda his vice of choice.
“As long as it’s sugar free, I’m good to go,” he said.
Rep. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, savors a Woodford Reserve bourbon whiskey on the rocks.
Rep. Ron Noble, R-McMinnville, prefers coffee.
“Just black coffee…and good coffee is good, but I was a cop for years. I drank day old graveyard coffee. My wife can’t believe the stuff I drink,” Noble said. “Coffee by the volume is probably my favorite.”
Nonalcoholic beverages may be one area where he might reach agreement with Democrat Rep. Teresa Alonso Leon of Woodburn, who favors mango lemonade.
Rep. Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, will have a cider.
“I’ve really been excited to see that industry grow.”
Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene, prefers an Oregon Pinot Noir.
“I believe in buying local,” he said.
That’s also Rep. Diego Hernandez‘s motto, who likes Oregon white wine and local IPAS.
Rep. Karin Power, D-Milwaukie, will take a gin and tonic.
Rep. Werner E. Reschke, R-Malin, likes an Arnold Palmer, a lemonade mixed with ice tea, while Sen. Alan DeBoer, R-Ashland, fancies a Lemon Drop — a cocktail of vodka, lemon juice, sweet and sour mix, triple sec and simple syrup.