PORTLAND, Ore. — Former Oregon State Rep. Bob Tiernan announced he’s running for governor as a Republican, joining an already crowded field.
Tiernan, who represented Lake Oswego in the Legislature from 1993-97, touted his experience in both government and the private sector during a press conference Monday morning. He also criticized problems in Portland.
"We're in the heart of the 'City of Roses' today, which is fast becoming the city of thorns and withering roses,” Tiernan said. “It's turning into a national disgrace with a reputation of crime, filth, riots and the problems are spreading into our suburbs."
Tiernan staged his press event in front of a homeless camp in Portland and said solutions are needed to address the “intolerable conditions” for people living on the streets. However, when pressed, he did not offer any specifics about how he’d solve the crisis as governor.
“I'd have a short-term solution to take care of this right away and a long-term solution to take care of it permanently,” he said. “It’s got be a two-stage process. We can't sit here for another two years while we're studying the situation.”
Tiernan said he had to solve problems quickly as a businessman and during his career in the Navy, experience that he believes Oregon’s elected leaders are lacking when they try to tackle big issues like the homeless crisis.
The former lawmaker, who also served as the chair of the Oregon Republican Party from 2009 to 2011, is kicking off his campaign by depositing $1,000,000 of his own money into his campaign account.
Tiernan is one of dozens of candidates running to fill Gov. Kate Brown’s seat. So far, 31 people have filed for the May 17 primary. The filing deadline is March 8, so more candidates could potentially join the race.