Val Hoyle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOregon's4th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Peter DeFazio |
| Labor Commissioner of Oregon | |
| In office January 7, 2019 – January 2, 2023 | |
| Governor | Kate Brown |
| Preceded by | Brad Avakian |
| Succeeded by | Christina Stephenson |
| Majority Leader of theOregon House of Representatives | |
| In office January 14, 2013 – July 10, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Tina Kotek (Democratic Leader) |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer Williamson |
| Member of theOregon House of Representatives from the 14th district | |
| In office January 12, 2009 – January 9, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Edwards |
| Succeeded by | Julie Fahey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Valerie Anne Toomey (1964-02-14)February 14, 1964 (age 61) Fairfield,California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Stephen Hoyle |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Bunker Hill Community College Emmanuel College (BA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website |
Valerie Anne Hoyle (néeToomey; born February 14, 1964)[1] is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative forOregon's 4th congressional district since 2023. Until 2023, she served as the commissioner ofOregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI)[2] (commonly called the "Labor Commissioner").
ADemocrat, Hoyle formerly served in theOregon House of Representatives, representing District 14, which includes WestEugene,Junction City, andCheshire. She was appointed to the House in August 2009 and reelected to full terms in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
In December 2021, Hoyle announced her candidacy for theU.S. House of Representatives in2022. The seat was open after incumbentPeter DeFazio decided not to run for reelection.[3]
Hoyle was born onTravis Air Force Base inFairfield, California, in 1964. She grew up inNashua, New Hampshire, where her fatherDan Toomey was a firefighter, union official, and later a member of theNew Hampshire House of Representatives.[4] She earned aBachelor of Arts degree inpolitical science fromEmmanuel College inBoston.[5]
In 1999, Hoyle and her family moved toLane County, Oregon, where she joined the education advocacy groupStand for Children. Before serving in the Oregon legislature, she worked in sales and marketing for bicycle manufacturersBurley Design and Cane Creek, and served as legislative aide and policy analyst for State SenatorFloyd Prozanski. She was also a director of theUnited Way of Lane County.[6]
Hoyle was appointed to the Oregon House of Representatives in August 2009 to replaceChris Edwards, who was appointed to the Oregon State Senate.[7] In2010, she was reelected to a full term, defeatingRepublican Dwight Coon andIndependent Kevin Prociw.[8] On November 6, 2012, Hoyle again defeated Coon to win a second full term.[9]
Before the2011 legislative session, Hoyle was elected assistant caucus leader of the Oregon House Democrats. During the 2011 legislative session, she was co-vice chair of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, and served on the House Committees on Health Care and Business & Labor.[10] She also served on the Governor's Health Care Transformation Team.
On November 15, 2012, after House Democrats selectedTina Kotek asspeaker of the Oregon House, Hoyle was elected to lead the Oregon House Democrats as House majority leader for the2013 Legislative Session.[11] During the 2013 legislative session, she co-chaired the House Task Force on O&C Counties and was vice chair of the House Committee on Rules.
Shortly before the 2014 legislative session, former State RepresentativeChris Garrett received an executive appointment to the Oregon Court of Appeals[12] and Hoyle was named chair of the House Committee on Rules. Hoyle also served as a legislative co-chair of the Oregon Elder Abuse Prevention Workgroup.
After Oregon GovernorJohn Kitzhaber resigned in February 2015, elevatingKate Brown to the governorship,The Oregonian named Hoyle as a possible successor to Brown asOregon Secretary of State.[13] Hoyle stepped down as majority leader in 2015 to run forOregon secretary of state. In the 2016 Democratic primary, she came in second place, receiving 33.81% of the vote to Democratic nominee Brad Avakian's 39.06%.[14]
In 2018, Hoyle ran to become Oregon's 10th labor commissioner, a nonpartisan elected position.[15] She won the race outright in May, receiving 52% of the vote and winning 17 of 36 counties.[15][16] FormerTualatin Mayor Lou Ogden received 36% and Jack Howard, aLa Grande attorney and formerUnion County Commissioner, received 12%.[16] The Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries serves a four-year term, has offices in Portland, Eugene, and Salem, oversees enforcement of wage and hour laws, including prevailing wage and civil rights enforcement, certifies apprenticeship programs, and provides employment law technical assistance for employers.[17]
On December 1, 2021, Hoyle announced her candidacy forOregon's 4th congressional district in theUnited States House of Representatives in2022. The seat was held by fellow Democrat andNew England nativePeter DeFazio, who announced that he was not running for reelection after 18 terms.[3] Polling conducted byPublic Policy Polling in March 2022 found Hoyle to be favored in the Democratic primary.[18] She benefited from more than $500,000 in spending bysuper PACs during the primary.[19] In November 2022 Hoyle was elected to the House.
In the House, Hoyle generally voted with the majority of other Democratic members, but there were exceptions. On January 31, 2023, Hoyle was among seven Democrats to vote for H.R.497:Freedom for Health Care Workers Act, a bill which would liftCOVID-19 vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.[20][21]
In 2023, Hoyle was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21 which directed PresidentJoe Biden to remove U.S. troops fromSyria within 180 days.[22][23]
Hoyle was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of theFiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[24]
Hoyle lives outsideSpringfield, Oregon, and is married with two adult children.[28]
Hoyle is Roman Catholic.[29]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Val Hoyle | 11,336 | 50.4 | |
| Republican | Dwight Coon | 10,041 | 44.6 | |
| Independent | Kevin Prociw | 1,078 | 4.8 | |
| Write-in | 51 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 22,506 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Val Hoyle | 14,413 | 54.3 | |
| Republican | Dwight Coon | 11,309 | 42.6 | |
| Libertarian | Sharon A Mahler | 790 | 3.0 | |
| Write-in | 38 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 26,550 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Val Hoyle | 12,370 | 55.6 | |
| Republican | Kathy Lamberg | 9,769 | 43.9 | |
| Write-in | 94 | 0.4 | ||
| Total votes | 22,233 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Val Hoyle | 375,762 | 52.3 | |
| Nonpartisan | Lou Ogden | 253,977 | 35.3 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jack Howard | 86,477 | 12.0 | |
| Write-in | 2,520 | 0.4 | ||
| Total votes | 718,736 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Val Hoyle | 171,372 | 50.5 | |
| Republican | Alek Skarlatos | 146,055 | 43.1 | |
| Independent | Levi Leatherberry | 9,052 | 2.7 | |
| Constitution | Jim Howard | 6,075 | 1.8 | |
| Pacific Green | Mike Beilstein | 6,033 | 1.8 | |
| Write-in | 490 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 339,077 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Val Hoyle | 195,862 | 51.7 | |
| Republican | Monique DeSpain | 166,430 | 43.9 | |
| Pacific Green | Justin Filip | 10,315 | 2.7 | |
| Libertarian | Dan Bahlen | 5,704 | 1.5 | |
| Write-in | 454 | 0.1 | ||
| Total votes | 378,765 | 100% | ||
| Oregon House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theOregon House of Representatives from the 14th district 2009–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Majority Leader of theOregon House of Representatives 2013–2015 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Labor Commissioner of Oregon 2019–2023 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOregon's 4th congressional district 2023–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 324th | Succeeded by |
