STAYTON — One of the leaders behind the effort to block increases to Oregon’s gas tax has entered the race for governor.
Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, shared the announcement with his supporters Wednesday evening at Stayton’s Snow Peak Brewing. The crowd of people, some of whom drove from Washington, Yamhill and Multnomah counties, overflowed the brewery where the lawmaker regularly hosts town halls.
“I’m running for governor to restore accountability, affordability and competence to state government,” Diehl said in a statement. “Oregon should be a place where working families can get ahead, where budgets are disciplined and where results matter.”
Diehl said the decision came after spending a long weekend with his wife along the Oregon Coast and reflecting on what his heart was telling him to do.
“I’m doing this for the forgotten Oregonians, the ones who work hard and take care of their families, play by the rules, pay their bills, sometimes praying, but they’re always paying the government tab,” he said. “You deserve better.”
Diehl is in his second term representing Oregon’s 17th House District, which stretches from East Salem to Detroit.
He made headlines this year for helping lead the No Tax Oregon campaign, which blocked hikes to the gas tax, vehicle registration and title fees and payroll tax included in a 2025 transportation law until a referendum vote in November 2026. Diehl led the campaign alongside Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr, R-Dundee and Jason Williams, director of the Taxpayer Association of Oregon.
Because Gov. Tina Kotek delayed signing the transportation bill into law, petitioners had roughly two-thirds of the usual time to gather signatures. Still, the petition organizers submitted more than 200,000 signatures from Oregonians — more than the 78,000 required to send the tax and fee hikes to voters for approval.
Anna Munson, a volunteer for the No Tax Oregon campaign and Republican candidate for the Salem-based 19th House District, drove from Salem to support Diehl.
“He’s willing to do the work, and he’s willing to make the hard decisions and say ‘This is really what we have to do,’” she told the Capital Chronicle.
Jack Tibbetts, who is running for the 6th Senate district in rural Lane County said he met Diehl through his campaign and considers him down to earth.
“Honestly, I’m a Republican and when you’re in a super minority, there’s not a lot we can do,” he told the Capital Chronicle. “I was really inspired by the fact that he didn’t stop working inside the building. He said ‘I’m going to go outside the building and actually bring some of these questions to the voters.’”
Diehl was born in Plains, Montana, to a family of sawmillers and loggers, according to his campaign website. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering at Stanford University before moving to Oregon in 1989, eventually settling in Scio and co-founding Albany-based automation consultant firm Concept Systems Inc. Outside of state politics, he’s involved in the Catholic Church and sits on the board of directors for Santiam Hospital, according to his biography on the Oregon Legislature’s website.
Some of his campaign priorities include education, street homelessness, gun rights, limiting abortions and supporting small businesses, according to his campaign website.
The Republican competition ahead
Oregon hasn’t elected a Republican as governor since the 1980s, and only two Republicans have won a statewide election since 2000.
As of Wednesday, 12 people have filed to run as a Republican candidate for governor, according to the Secretary of State’s website. That includes frontrunner Christine Drazan, a state senator from Canby who ran against Gov. Tina Kotek in the 2022 general election and lost by more than 66,000 votes.
Drazan’s campaign did not respond for comment, and Diehl said he hadn’t spoken to Drazan yet about his announcement.
“There are no secrets in this business,” he told the Capital Chronicle. “I still owe her a call, I want to talk to her about it. I have a lot of respect for her. I just think I see a path to victory for me, and I don’t see one for her.”
Diehl will also be running against Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell.
“Oregon voters deserve a choice — the Republican Party doesn’t do coronations,” Bethell told the Capital Chronicle. “My reason for running hasn’t changed: Oregon needs an experienced executive as its next governor, not a policy maker. Whether that policy maker just got here or has spent a career in the legislature, they haven’t managed departments or delivered results.”
Bethell is currently under investigation from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission over allegations she used her position as a county commissioner to benefit her children.
“Oregon needs a governor who understands how systems work, how to manage budgets, how to build effective teams and how to deliver results,” Diehl said in a statement. “We need a governor who will improve affordability, reduce cost of living, and increase opportunity for all Oregonians. I know how to do that — and I know Oregon can do better.”
Oregon Capital Chronicle
Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and X.