View source for Vicki Walker

{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name          = Vicki Walker
| image         = Vicki Walker 2015.jpg
| width         = 200px
| caption       = Walker in 2009
| state_senate  = Oregon State
| district      = 7th
| term_start    = 2003
| term_end      = 2009
| predecessor   = 
| alma_mater    = [[University of Oregon]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| successor     = [[Chris Edwards (Oregon politician)|Chris Edwards]]
| constituency  = 
| majority      = 
| state_house2  = Oregon
| district2     = 41st
| term_start2   = 1998
| term_end2     = 2002
| predecessor2  = 
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1956|5|29|mf=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Monroe, Washington]], U.S.
| death_date    = 
| death_place   = 
| party         = [[Democratic Party of Oregon|Democratic]]
| relations     = 
| spouse        = Steven Walker
| children      = 2
| residence     = [[Eugene, Oregon]], U.S.
| occupation    = 
| religion      = 
| signature     = 
| website       = [http://www.vickiwalker.com vickiwalker.com]
| footnotes     = 
}}

'''Vicki Lynn Walker''' (born May 29, 1956) is an American [[politician]]. She served as the Oregon State Director for Rural Development with the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture]]. A member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], Walker previously served in both houses of the [[Oregon Legislative Assembly|Oregon Legislature]] and briefly served as chair of the state's parole board. Walker is known as an advocate for utility customers and as an outspoken critic of influential former [[Governor of Oregon|Governor]] [[Neil Goldschmidt]].<ref>{{cite news|date=2006-04-19|title=Rogues of the Week:A substantial contingent of the Oregon Legislature|work=Willamette Week|url=http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3224/7459/|url-status=dead|access-date=2007-05-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070605131345/http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3224/7459/|archive-date=2007-06-05}}</ref>

==Early life==
Walker was born in [[Monroe, Washington]], and graduated from [[Reedsport Junior/Senior High School|Reedsport High School]] in [[Reedsport, Oregon]], in 1974. She attended the [[University of Oregon]] and graduated in 1978 with a [[Bachelor of Arts|bachelor's degree]] in [[political science]].

== Career ==
After college, Walker was a self-employed [[court reporter]] from 1983, and a certified [[shorthand]] reporter.

From 1992 to 1994, Walker served as the chair of the [[Lane County, Oregon|Lane County]] Democratic Central Committee. In addition, she served as secretary-treasurer and area representative for the Cal Young Neighborhood Association in Eugene. Walker has also volunteered on campaigns and has helped to fundraise for [[non-profit organization]]s.

===Oregon Legislature===
In November 1998, Walker was elected to the [[Oregon House of Representatives]]. She proposed [[legislation]] making the prevention of youth [[suicide]] a state priority as well as a bill that provides consumers protection from [[predatory lending]] practices. Walker was re-elected in 2000. She served on the Oregon House Judiciary, Criminal Law Subcommittee, Labor and Consumer Affairs, and Smart Growth & Commerce Committees.

Walker was elected to the [[Oregon State Senate]] in November 2002 for the 7th District, covering [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]], [[Junction City, Oregon|Junction City]], and [[Harrisburg, Oregon|Harrisburg]]. She served as vice-chair of the Business and Labor Committee as well as a member of the Judiciary, Health Policy and General Government Committees. Legislation she sponsored included strengthening [[workers compensation]] and establishing civil penalties for [[e-mail spam]].<ref>[http://www.ncsl.org/programs/lis/legislation/spam03.htm Spam Legislation: 2003<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20030815082036/http://www.ncsl.org/programs/lis/legislation/spam03.htm |date=2003-08-15 }}</ref> In 2005, she served as the chair of the Education and Workforce Committee and vice chair of the Energy and Public Lands Committee.

Walker was [[Oregon's statewide elections, 2006|elected]] to her second Senate term in 2006, defeating former Eugene mayor [[Jim Torrey]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]]).

===2006 race for Governor===
{{main|Oregon gubernatorial election, 2006}}
Walker was critical of [[Governor of Oregon|Governor]] [[Ted Kulongoski]], a fellow Democrat, on many issues and considered challenging his bid for re-election in 2006, but ultimately did not run.

On September 6, 2005, Walker stated, "I'm tired of the status quo, I'm not one of the good ol' boys. The good ol' boys have had a stranglehold over this state for a long time."<ref>{{cite news
|title=Eugene Democrat aims to challenge Kulongoski
|work=The Oregonian
|date=September 6, 2005
}}</ref> Walker, who had run only for offices in the [[Willamette Valley]], would have faced an uphill battle in a statewide race. Fellow Democrat [[Pete Sorenson]], another Willamette Valley Democrat who did run for governor in 2006, predicted that Walker would have a hard time raising money for her campaign. A poll done by Mike Riley in late 2005 showed Walker and several other Democratic challengers in single digits.<ref>{{cite news
 |author      = Brad Cain
 |url         = http://www.kgw.com/politics/stories/kgw_120105_politics_walker_gov.29ec5744.html
 |title       = Sen. holding off while Kitzhaber ponders gov. race
 |work        = KGW
 |date        = December 1, 2005
 |access-date  = 2006-11-13
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20081007074404/http://www.kgw.com/politics/stories/kgw_120105_politics_walker_gov.29ec5744.html
 |archive-date = October 7, 2008
}}</ref>

Another factor that loomed over Walker's gubernatorial candidacy was the possibility that former two-term Governor [[John Kitzhaber]] might enter the race. A December 1, 2005 article asserted that Kitzhaber was considering challenging his successor, Kulongoski. Walker said "I wouldn't run against John Kitzhaber. That's the deciding factor."<ref>{{cite news
|author=David Steves
|url=http://www.registerguard.com/news/2005/12/01/d1.cr.walker.1201.p1.php?section=cityregion
|title=Walker puts decision on hold
|work=The Register-Guard
|date=December 1, 2005
|access-date=2006-11-13
}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

On January 13, 2006, Kitzhaber said that he would not enter the race, leaving the door open for a possible run by Walker.<ref>{{cite news
|author=Ley Garnett
|url=http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=865496
|title=Kitzhaber Passes On 2006 Governor's Race
|work=Oregon Public Broadcasting
|date=January 13, 2006
|access-date=2006-11-13
|archive-date=2007-09-26
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926224300/http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=865496
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

However, Walker announced on February 1, 2006 that she would not seek the office, but would instead listen to voters in her State Senate District and run for re-election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Eugene senator decides not to run for governor |last=Cain |first=Brad |work=KATU TV |publisher=Associated Press |date=February 1, 2006 |url=http://www.katu.com/stories/82973.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060403165014/http://www.katu.com/stories/82973.html |archive-date=April 3, 2006 }}</ref>

===Goldschmidt scandal===
{{see also|Neil Goldschmidt}}
Walker, a sexual assault victim, is partially responsible for forcing former governor Neil Goldschmidt to admit publicly that he had a [[sexual relationship]] with a 14-year-old girl in 1975 which lasted three years. Goldschmidt was [[List of mayors of Portland, Oregon|Mayor]] of [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]] at the time the relationship took place. Walker received the information from ''[[Portland Tribune]]'' [[Columnist]] [[Phil Stanford]] about the scandal, though it reportedly was not enough proof to go public. Walker was a longtime critic of Goldschmidt and tried unsuccessfully to prevent his appointment to the [[Oregon State Board of Higher Education]] in January 2004.<ref>
{{cite news
 |author      = Nigel Jaquiss
 |url         = http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=5256
 |title       = Breaking Silence
 |work        = Willamette Week
 |date        = June 30, 2004
 |access-date  = 2006-11-13
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20060630014215/http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=5256
 |archive-date = June 30, 2006
}}
</ref>

A few months later, Walker passed the documents she had received from Stanford to a ''[[Willamette Week]]'' newspaper reporter. On May 6, 2004, Goldschmidt confessed publicly to the relationship after being told that an article in ''Willamette Week'' was going to be printed about the scandal. The story appeared in the paper less than a week later, and revealed that close friends and colleagues had kept quiet about the relationship for 30 years. Goldschmidt subsequently resigned from the [[Oregon State Bar]] and the Board of Higher Education.<ref>{{cite news
|author=Nigel Jaquiss
|url=http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=5091
|title=The 30-Year Secret
|work=Willamette Week
|date=May 12, 2005
|access-date=2006-11-13
|archive-date=2006-11-10
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110133300/http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=5091
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

===Campaign for Secretary of State===
At the conclusion of the 2007 legislative session, Walker announced her candidacy for [[Oregon Secretary of State]] in 2008.<ref>{{cite news
|title=Vicki Walker jumps into race for secretary of state
|url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/politics/2007/06/vicki_walker_jumps_into_race_f.html
|work=The Oregonian
|date=June 28, 2007
|access-date=July 27, 2007
|archive-date=July 3, 2007
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703211531/http://blog.oregonlive.com/politics/2007/06/vicki_walker_jumps_into_race_f.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> She finished third in the Democratic primary to [[Kate Brown]] and [[Rick Metsger]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6873621|title=Content Manager WebDrawer - 2008 Primary Election Official Results|access-date=2019-10-11|archive-date=2019-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011223539/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6873621|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Later career===
In 2009, Walker was nominated by [[Governor of Oregon|Governor]] [[Ted Kulongoski]] to a four-year term as chair of [[Oregon]]'s [[parole board|Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision]]. She resigned from the [[Oregon State Senate]] on July 12, 2009, to begin her new position.<ref>{{cite news |title=Walker accepts new post |last=Steves |first=David |work=The Register Guard |date=July 10, 2009 |access-date=2009-08-01 |url=http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/16843294-41/story.csp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201133818/http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/16843294-41/story.csp |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 1, 2013 }}</ref> In September of that year she withdrew herself for consideration for the position on the board prior to confirmation by the Oregon Senate.<ref name="parole">{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/09/vicki_walker_wont_lead_parole.html|title=Vicki Walker won't lead Oregon Parole Board|last=Goldsmith|first=Susan|date=September 25, 2009|work=The Oregonian|access-date=2009-09-26|archive-date=2009-09-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090927101612/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/09/vicki_walker_wont_lead_parole.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Walker did this after state government revenue forecasts determined the state would take in less money than anticipated, and thus a fourth position on the board would not be created as Governor Kulongoski had expected.<ref name="parole"/> Walker then took a temporary position with the parole board to last until the end of the year.<ref name="parole"/>

On October 30, 2009, [[U.S. Secretary of Agriculture]] [[Tom Vilsack]] announced that Walker had been appointed as Oregon State Director for Rural Development with the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture]].<ref name="USDA">{{cite news|url=http://registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/updates/22341496-55/story.csp|title=Walker wins federal post|last=Steves|first=David|date=October 30, 2009|work=The Register Guard|access-date=2009-10-30|archive-date=2016-01-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114060515/http://registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/updates/22341496-55/story.csp|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Walker and her husband Steven live in [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]], and have two adult children, Adam and Sara.

==Electoral history==
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2006 Oregon State Senator, [[Oregon's 7th Senate district|7th district]]<ref>{{cite web
| title = Official Results &#124; 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 = Vicki L. Walker
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 25,667
| percentage = 51.6}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = [[Jim Torrey]]
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 23,962
| percentage = 48.2}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 134
| percentage = 0.3}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 49,763
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Vicki}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Oregon state senators]]
[[Category:Members of the Oregon House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Women state legislators in Oregon]]
[[Category:People from Monroe, Washington]]
[[Category:People from Reedsport, Oregon]]
[[Category:Politicians from Eugene, Oregon]]
[[Category:21st-century American women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly]]