Politics

Will be 9th candidate, sixth in GOP; notes he's won the district's votes in previous contests

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- In a video to supporters, former State Rep. Knute Buehler announced Tuesday that he will seek the Republican nomination for Congress for the seat of retiring Rep. Greg Walden.

“Many Oregonians are tired of being disrespected or ignored by Portland liberals and elite D.C. politicians. In Congress, I will defend the values, rights and jobs threatened by the powerful arm of big government. I will be a conservative voice for the people and place I call home,” said Buehler.

Buehler joins a growing field of eight previously filed candidates, including (so far) Jason Atkinson, Cliff Bentz, Ken Medenbach, Mark Roberts and Jeff Smith on the Republican side and John Holm, Raz Mason and Isablela Tibbetts on the Democrat side of the May primary election, according to the secretary of state.

The filing deadline for the May 19 primary is March 10.

Here's the rest of Buehler's announcement news release:

Born and raised in Roseburg, Knute grew up working in the woods and driving a Pepsi delivery truck. Knute and his two brothers were the first in their family to attend college. Knute earned his undergraduate degree from Oregon State, played baseball and was a Rhodes Scholar.

After attending Oxford University, Knute earned his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He and his wife Patty, a successful eye surgeon, have been married for 29 years and have two grown children.

Knute was elected to the Oregon House in 2014 and re-elected in 2016. Knute was the Republican nominee for Secretary of State of 2012 and for Governor in 2018. In four statewide elections – primary and general – Knute has won the second congressional district four times.

In his campaign for governor, Knute made expanding economic opportunities to all of Oregon a centerpiece of his campaign.

“Oregon’s rural urban divide isn’t an immovable feature of the natural landscape. It is an artificial divide created by politicians each day in Salem, Portland and Washington, D.C. In Congress, I will never stop fighting for Oregon’s traditional jobs in farming, ranching and timber. I will work for limited government, secure borders and stand firm against government takeover of health care," said Buehler.

For more information visit www.knutebuehler.com