Rep. Ed Diehl Announces Candidacy in Republican Primary for Governor

Oregon — Representative Ed Diehl has announced his candidacy for governor in Oregon’s Republican Primary race. He made the announcement this evening in a speech at Snow Peak Brewing in Stayton.

Diehl currently serves as a representative for House District 17 covering parts of Linn and Marion Counties. He was also one of the main petitioners for the recent ‘No Tax OR’ referendum on the transportation tax that was passed during a special session this past fall. The referendum effort brought in over 250,000 signatures.

Diehl represents a largely rural district that includes small cities, agricultural land, and timber communities, areas where economic pressures, housing availability, and state regulatory decisions are often felt most acutely. Since taking office, he has emphasized being “a problem solver”, and standing up “for our neighbors, our businesses, and our values in the Oregon Legislature.”

In his announcement speech Diehl noted the following:

You’ve asked me to lead I’m answering that call, and I will be the next governor.

I’m doing this for the forgotten Oregonians. The ones who work hard, are taking care of their families, play it by the rules pay their bills. They’re always paying the government tab and they’re not seeing much in return. You deserve better, we deserve better.

Right now Oregon has a governor who thinks she knows better than we do. We have a governor who’s no longer serving the interests of the people that she represents. A governor who says she’s about affordability and then tries at every turn to raise our taxes and tells us to deal with it.

The announcement was livestreamed by Oregon Citizen and can be watched here:

Oregon will hold a statewide Primary Election on May 19, 2026, marking a key step in determining which candidates advance to the November General Election. Several important election deadlines precede Election Day. Candidates began filing for the 2026 Primary Election on September 11, 2025, with final filing deadlines in early March 2026. The last day to register to vote or change party affiliation is April 28, 2026. Registration cards must be postmarked by that date, or voters must register online by 11:59 p.m.

Ballots will be mailed to voters beginning April 29, 2026. As a vote-by-mail state, Oregon allows voters to return ballots by mail—postmarked no later than Election Day—or deposit them in official drop sites, which close at 8 p.m. on May 19. County clerk offices will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day to assist voters.

Final election results are scheduled to be certified on June 25, 2026.