Hooley endorses Westlund

U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-West Linn) announced Thursday she would be endorsing state Sen. Ben Westlund (D-Tumalo) in Oregon’s State Treasurer’s race.

Hooley pointed to Westlund’s record in the Oregon House and Senate, where he pushed through legislation on everything from better health coverage to civil rights.

“Ben Westlund helped put Oregon's fiscal house in order as a leader in the state Senate, while getting results on kitchen table issues that matter to our families every day, like affordable health care, safer streets, a better education, and stronger safeguards for consumers,” Hooley said in a statement.

Westlund has a history of working on Oregon’s fiscal issues. As a Republican House member, he served a stint as co-chair of the Ways & Means Committee working on the state budget. He’s told PolitickerOR.com he was yanked off that post by former House Speaker Karen Minnis (R-Wood Village) for proposing a tax to relieve the state’s budget crisis. To this day he stands by his decision, saying it was the fiscally responsible thing to do.

“As Oregon’s next State Treasurer, Ben will provide prudent oversight of Oregon’s finances to get us through tough times and help spur our economy to grow, investing in energy to lower costs and creating new opportunities for innovation.”

Hooley is the outgoing representative in Oregon’s biggest swing district, the 5th Congressional District. State Sen. Kurt Schrader (D-Canby) and Mike Erickson (R-Lake Oswego) are vying to take her place.