SALEM — Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, announced the leadership team for the chamber’s Republicans in the upcoming 2023 session.

“I am proud to say that our leadership team is made up of high-quality individuals representing many parts of Oregon,” Knopp said in a statement Friday, Dec. 9.

Democrats have a majority 17 seats in the 30-seat chamber.

The Republican caucus includes 11 members.

The new Senate Republican team:

• Leader: Knopp.

• Deputy leader: Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City.

• Deputy leader: Lynn Findley, R-Vale.

• Deputy leader: Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer.

• Whip: Dennis Linthicum, R-Klamath Falls.

Two of the 13 senators elected as Republicans are not in the GOP caucus by personal choice.

Sen. Art Robinson, R-Cave Junction, remains a member of the party, but does not caucus with other Republicans, designating himself as an “independent Republican.”

Sen. Brian Boquist of Dallas was elected as a Republican, but switched to the Independent Party.

Knopp has been critical of Democrats for nominating the current Senate Majority Leader Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, as Senate president to replace the retiring Sen. Peter Courtney, D-Salem, who has led the chamber since 2003.

While the party members choose their leadership, the full chamber votes on Senate president. The choice of the majority party is normally the winner of the vote.

Knopp said Democrats should have consulted with Republicans, who he said cannot support Wagner, who he called too partisan to preside in what Knopp said should be a bipartisan manner.

Democrats have not altered plans to nominate Wagner.

Knopp said the Republican team would “seek to provide Oregonians with bipartisan solutions to the chronic problems exacerbated by years of one-party rule.”

Democrats hold a 35-25 majority in the House, where House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, is expected to be reelected to the position when the new Legislature convenes next month.

The 2022 election saw Democrats lose two seats in the House and one in the Senate. The losses pushed them below the three-fifths “supermajority” mark they previously held, which allowed passage of taxes and other financial legislation without Republican votes.