Lenn Hannon (July 4, 1943 – April 1, 2010) was the second-longest-serving

state senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...

in the history of the U.S. state of

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. He held office from 1974 to 2003, switching from the Democratic to the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

party in 1980. He represented Oregon's 26th district, in southern Jackson County. His political career began when he defeated Republican Lynn Newbry in 1974 by just 37 votes. He earned the nickname "Landslide Lenn" for squeaking by this and other votes. In late 2003, after retiring from the Senate, Hannon was appointed to the Oregon state parole board by Gov.

Ted Kulongoski Theodore Ralph Kulongoski ( ; born November 5, 1940) is an American politician, judge, and lawyer who served as the 36th Governor of Oregon from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative As ...

. Hannon was born in Roseburg, Oregon, and served in the U.S. Army from 1961 to 1967. He attained the rank of Sergeant serving in the Oregon National Guard. He attended Ashland High School,

Southern Oregon University Southern Oregon University (SOU) is a public university in Ashland, Oregon. It was founded in 1872 as the Ashland Academy, has been in its current location since 1926, and was known by nine other names before assuming its current name in 1997.Kre ...

, and was a student at Southern Oregon State College in 1963–1964, concurrent with his time in the Army. Hannon Library at Southern Oregon University is named for him. Hannon died in Salem, Oregon. He was awarded an Outstanding Young Man of America award by the U.S. Jaycees in 1974.

References

Oregon state senators Oregon Democrats Oregon Republicans 1943 births 2010 deaths Politicians from Ashland, Oregon Politicians from Roseburg, Oregon 21st-century American politicians {{Oregon-politician-stub