Senator James I. Manning, Jr. is a Democrat representing Oregon Senate District 7, which includes Eugene communities such as Bethel, Churchill, Sheldon, Cal Young, Whiteaker, Trainsong, Harlow, Santa Clara, River Road, and the cities of Elmira and Veneta. He serves as Senate President Pro Tempore and chairs the Senate Committee on Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs. Notable achievements include over 24 years of active U.S. Army service, retiring honorably as an Army Drill Sergeant; mediating more than 300 sessions for Lane County Circuit Courts; election to the Eugene Water and Electric Board in 2012; and appointment to the Oregon State Senate in December 2016, followed by re-elections in 2018 and 2022.

Education and Political Experience

Specific details on formal education are not listed in available records. Manning's professional background includes service as a state corrections officer, police officer, railroad special agent, and private investigator before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1983. After retiring from the Army in 2007, he moved to Eugene with his late wife Lawanda and volunteered on nonprofits, local, and state boards. Politically, he was appointed to Senate District 7 in 2016, re-elected in 2018 and 2022, and holds leadership roles including Senate President Pro Tempore.