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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... CAMPAIGN 2016 Republican Bud Pierce announces run for Oregon governor Comment By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Sep. 10, 2015 at 4:04 PM By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Sep. 10, 2015 at 4:04 PM » Social News SALEM — Salem Republican Bud Pierce said Thursday that he's running for Oregon governor in his first bid for elected office. An oncologist, Pierce's pitch drew heavily on his medical experience to make the case that he's prepared for Oregon's highest office. "We need to talk about what ails Oregon. In medicine, we call this making a diagnosis," Pierce said in a speech in front of the state Capitol. "We need to talk about a treatment plan to rid Oregon of this ailment. It is time for honest talk and tough medicine." Pierce pledged to merge government agencies and eliminate middle-management positions to free up money for education. "Oregon's state government is broken, functions poorly, makes the lives of ordinary citizens difficult and wastes a great deal of our money," Pierce said. Pierce is the first Republican to jump into the race for governor. Two other doctors, state Rep. Knute Buehler and former U.S. Senate candidate Monica Wehby, considered running but bowed out. Democratic Gov. Kate Brown has taken steps toward starting her own campaign, but she has not publicly revealed her plans. The winner of next year's election will serve the last two years of former Gov. John Kitzhaber's term. Kitzhaber resigned in February just six weeks into his fourth term amid an influence-peddling scandal. Pierce's announcement was not a surprise. He told Republican activists at the annual Dorchester Conference in March that he intended to run for governor. Pierce, 58, grew up in southern California, where he went to college at University of California, Riverside and medical school at UCLA. In 1994, he moved to Salem, where he continues running his oncology practice. He was the head of the Oregon Medical Association — the influential lobbying group for doctors — and helped negotiate a deal with trial lawyers aimed at reducing medical malpractice lawsuits. Pierce has given his campaign $250,000 and has raised a total of $320,000. He'll have to overcome a dismal history for the Republican Party in Oregon, which hasn't elected a Republican governor since 1982. By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Sep. 10, 2015 at 4:04 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501