Merkley, Wyden to skip State of Union address

By Griffin Beach on Tuesday, February 24th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

WASHINGTON D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have announced they will not attend Tuesday’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, and instead will host a live online town hall that same day.

The online town hall will be at 2:30 p.m. PST, the State of the Union be at 4 p.m. PST.

Republican congressmen from the area Dan Newhouse (R-Washington) and Cliff Bentz (R-Oregon) are expected to attend, as is Michael Baumgartner (R-Washington) who will have Walla Walla High School teacher Bill Plucker along as his guest.

“Bill Plucker represents the very best of Eastern Washington – a teacher, coach, and veteran who has dedicated his life to shaping the next generation of citizens and leaders,” said Baumgartner. “I’m honored to have him join me at the State of the Union as a testament to the impact great educators have on our communities.”