Chris Dudley Announces Bid for Oregon Governor

A former player for the Portland Trail Blazers, Chris Dudley, is aiming to become the next governor of Oregon. Dudley, a Republican and seasoned NBA player with 16 years of experience, shared his candidacy in a video online.

In the video, he expressed his deep affection for Oregon, stating, “I love Oregon State. We have some serious problems, but we have solutions. I believe our best days are ahead.”

Dudley emphasized the need for change, criticizing the “empty promises, name-calling, finger-pointing, and fear-mongering” that he feels have dominated politics, asserting, “You deserve better.”

His basketball career included six seasons with the Trail Blazers, where he played as the team’s center. Born in Connecticut and raised in San Diego, he played with the Blazers from 1993 to 1997 and returned for the 2001-2002 season, finishing his career there.

Notably, Dudley nearly won the gubernatorial race back in 2010, where he narrowly lost to the incumbent Democrat, John Kitzhaber, with a vote split of 49.3% to 47.8%.

Now, he joins a growing list of Republican candidates hoping to unseat the current governor, Tina Kotek. In total, 14 Republicans, along with Kotek and five other Democratic candidates, are competing in the upcoming primary election set for May 19th.

Dudley’s career kicked off with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who selected him in the fourth round of the 1987 NBA Draft. He spent parts of three seasons there before moving to the New Jersey Nets, then joined the Trail Blazers, and later played for the New York Knicks and the Phoenix Suns before returning to Portland.