Walden tours Central Oregon, still backs Trump for president

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., toured Central Oregon on Tuesday, highlighting many issues and telling NewsChannel 21 he still supports the Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump.

Walden stopped at the Daimler Trucks North America test track facility in Madras during the morning. Walden said the facility’s expansion is creating jobs and growing the economy in Jefferson County.

He also spoke to Jefferson County community leaders about regional issues such as the conservation groups’ lawsuit over Deschutes River management and their focus on the Oregon the spotted frog.

Walden later attended the Crook County Rotary Club meeting in Prineville, where he spoke about how the Oregon delegation is working to secure funding to help fight wildfires in our region.

The congressman also spoke about mental health and how the government is making sure the issue is being addressed at all levels.

“We were able to in the Interior appropriations bill to fully fund the 10 years average cost for fighting fires, which is a big target to hit,” Walden said. “Plus we put in additional money to reduce the fuel loads in the forest, so we don’t have the catastrophic fires to begin with.”

Walden told NewsChannel 21 he still supports Trump in the general election, although many of his peers and big donors are turning their back on the Republican nominee.

“They all have their own reasons, certainly, and they’ll speak out and say that,” Walden said. ” I think overall we have a unique election year, to say the very least, and in fact both nominees seem to be popular among the voters. Their goal is to earn support, not lose it, between now and the election.”

Walden said he will not attend a Trump fundraiser event in Portland later this month because he already planned to go on a camping trip with his wife and doesn’t plan on canceling it because of a political event.

“My intent is to support the nominee of my party,” Walden said. “I’ve spoken out when I’ve disagreed with his statements — not every one, because frankly I can’t keep track of what all is going on at the presidential level every day.”

Walden plans to travel to Burns on Wednesday, where he’ll host a town hall meeting.