Jeff Gudman annouces candidacy for State Treasurer.

Salem, OR – Jeff Gudman announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for State Treasurer today at the Secretary of State’s office at the State Capitol.

“It’s time Oregonians have a trusted and transparent Treasurer, serving the needs of the people instead of a quid pro quo politician in the pocket of special interest groups,” said Gudman.

As OPB reported last month, the State Treasurer’s office has been rocked by a pay-to-play scandal involving campaign contributions from mostly east coast law firms who contract with the state. “As of early December, more than 40% of the money the treasurer reported raising in 2019 came from big-time firms headquartered in places like New York City, Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, Delaware,” reported the article.

“The foundation of any fiduciary duty is trust.” said Gudman. “An eyebrow-raising amount of campaign contributions are coming from out-of-state law firms doing business with Oregon – or trying to do business with Oregon – to our current treasurer. It’s fair to ask if he’s looking out for our best interests – or his special interests.”

Gudman has a Masters in Finance from the prestigious Wharton School of Business, and has served as treasurer of several large utility subsidies and non-profits over his career. For eight years, Gudman served as a city councilor in Lake Oswego, where his laser-sharp financial acumen was put to use re-financing projects to pay for infrastructure improvements instead of raising taxes.

“Living within our means as a state is simple,” said Gudman. “You just have to ask, if we choose to do something new with taxpayer’s money, what can we live without?”

In 2016, Gudman came within 2.2 percentage points of beating Tobias Read, who outspent Gudman 5 to 1. Chris Telfer, a popular former Republican State Senator turned Independent, received 9.4 percent of the vote in 2016. She has stepped aside and pledged her endorsement and her vote to Gudman in 2020.

Gudman addressed the issue of conflict of interest between Treasurer Tobias Read and his windfall of campaign contributions from state vendors. “I’m not going to challenge Mr. Read to return those contributions already made. But I will challenge him to make this race about serving Oregonians, by pledging from this day forward he will not accept contributions from class action law firms, businesses who have contracts with the Treasurer’s office, or employees who work for them. I pledge that now. And if any such contributions arrive in my campaign coffers without my knowledge, they will be immediately donated to the #TimberUnity movement to give rural Oregonians a louder voice in Salem,” said Gudman.

“I hope that Tobias Read will join me in making this race about serving Oregonians, not east coast law firms vying to make millions from the state,” said Gudman. If you’re ready to join the movement to put accountability, transparency and competence in the State Treasurer’s office, please click here to donate $50, $100, or $250 to Jeff’s campaign!