Whisnant declares bid for re-election to Oregon House

State Rep. Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver, announced Thursday he will seek another term representing District 53 in the Oregon House of Representatives.

Whisnant made the announcement at a meeting of the RedmondRotariansafter providing the group with an overview of the 2015 Legislative Session.

“I have the experience, the respect and the positive working relationships with members of both parties to continue passing good policy andserving asan effective leader for Oregon and its citizens,” Whisnant said.

“I’m proud of the bipartisan legislation I sponsored and helped pass during the 2015 Legislative Session. With the help of my colleagues, we took positive steps toward lowering the cost of college in Oregon, strengthening our K-12 education system, and making healthcare more accessible for our state’s most vulnerable children.”

“I’llcontinue to work with my colleagues on issues of transparency and accountability. During the 2009 Legislative Session, I chief sponsored HB 2500, which established the Oregon Transparency Website .

“Since the website was established, we’ve made a number of improvements to its functionality in order to ensure that Oregonians have as much information as possible about the operations of our government,” he added.

“Working on behalf of House District 53 is a great honor,” Whisnant said. “I hope to return to Salem in 2017 and continue providing responsive and effective leadership for Central Oregonians.”

Whisnant has served as a member of the Legislature since his appointment to the Oregon House in 2003.

Prior to his legislative career, Whisnant served as a colonel in the United States Air Force. He served inVietnam,Germany, Yugoslavia and the Pentagon in command,leadership, staff, and diplomaticroles during his 27-year career.