SALEM, Ore. — State Rep. Ed Diehl, a Scio Republican known for helping lead the petition drive targeting Oregon’s latest transportation tax increases, has filed to run for governor in 2026, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s candidate filing database.
Diehl’s entry puts Marion County at the center of the early campaign picture, with two prominent Republican contenders now based in the county: Diehl and Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell, who filed for the same office months earlier. Both are pitching themselves as alternatives to the state’s Democratic leadership, while emphasizing themes that have dominated Oregon politics in recent years—public safety, affordability, homelessness and the direction of state government.
Diehl’s announcement centers on taxes, public safety and his private-sector background
Diehl filed for the governor’s race on Wednesday, Jan. 21, listing the 2026 primary election. In public messaging around his launch, Diehl has framed his candidacy around public safety, small businesses and forest management, and he has pointed to his background as an engineer and business owner.
On his campaign site, Diehl describes himself as an entrepreneur who helped build a factory automation company aimed at improving manufacturing efficiency and productivity. A résumé posted through the Oregon Legislature lists him as co-founder and president of Concept Systems, Inc., from 1999 to 2018.
Diehl has also become a leading face in the statewide push to challenge portions of the transportation funding package passed in a September special session. Organizers behind the “No Tax Oregon” campaign reported passing 150,000 signatures a little more than a week after signature gathering began, with Diehl identified as one of the chief petitioners. By mid-December, the campaign said it turned in nearly 200,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office seeking a statewide vote.
Supporters of the petition effort have argued the increases will raise costs for households through higher gas taxes and fees; Democrats have said the additional funding is needed for road maintenance and transportation needs.
Diehl’s launch also drew a public endorsement from a now-former candidate, Patrick Hales, who said he was exiting the governor’s race and backing Diehl. In a statement shared with supporters, Hales said he was stepping aside after concluding Diehl was the stronger option and credited Diehl’s transportation petition work and broader political momentum.
“I stated in the beginning, from the very start that if a better candidate joined that I would withdraw from the race and put my support behind whom I felt is the best one for Oregon,” Hales wrote. “I also stated that I would put Oregonians needs before my own, and that I have remained principled in my actions, not just in my words.”
Hales added that he was putting his “full, unwavering support” behind Diehl and called on supporters to follow him in backing Diehl’s campaign.
Bethell filed first and is running on public safety, housing and a “regional voice” message
Bethell, a Marion County commissioner, filed for governor on Sept. 22, 2025—well ahead of Diehl’s filing. She has been building her campaign around a message that Oregon’s challenges look different outside Portland and that state leadership should better reflect rural and mid-valley communities.
On her campaign website and in public interviews, Bethell has emphasized public safety and drug policy, arguing for a coordinated approach that includes law enforcement, prosecutors and treatment resources. She has also pointed to housing and economic issues as central priorities.
Bethell’s local government résumé has included work tied to wildfire recovery and infrastructure, as Marion County has navigated housing needs, recovery planning and long-term rebuilding in fire-impacted areas.
With Bethell and Diehl both in the race, Marion County is now home to two of the better-known early contenders, a dynamic likely to matter in a Republican primary where geography, organization and donor networks can play an outsized role.
Other notable Republicans include Drazen, Dudley and Medina
Several other names are already shaping the Republican field:
Christine Drazan. Drazan, a Canby Republican and former House GOP leader who was the party’s nominee in 2022, is running again. In that election, she received 43.54% of the vote in a three-way contest. Her 2026 message has focused on public safety, housing and addiction, along with cutting taxes and regulations and arguing that Oregon’s long-running Democratic control has produced poor results.
Chris Dudley. Dudley, a former Portland Trail Blazers player who ran for governor in 2010, has been weighing another bid. In 2010, Dudley received 47.76% of the vote, losing narrowly. In recent public comments about Oregon’s trajectory, Dudley has highlighted education outcomes and concerns about economic competitiveness and investment, while describing himself as “policy above party” and identifying as pro-choice.
David Medina. Medina, a right-wing social media influencer based outside Portland, has launched a campaign framed around opposition to one-party rule in Salem and a promise to take a hard line in his platform messaging.
The filings and announcements are still early, and more candidates—on both the Republican and Democratic sides—could enter before the 2026 primary. For now, Diehl’s filing adds a second Marion County-based contender to a race already drawing statewide attention, with Bethell’s early entry giving the county two major figures competing for the same nomination.
