A number of people have asked me which candidate am I supporting in the crowded Republican field to replace Congressman Greg Walden for Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District. While I know many of the candidates, and many of them I call friends, I am supporting Cliff Bentz.

I have served with Cliff Bentz all eight years of my tenure in the Oregon Legislature. Cliff was one hardworking and effective legislator. I have seen him in action and he will serve us well in Washington, D.C. His record is there for all to see, and it is a darn good one.

Cliff’s roots run deep in our part of the state, and because of that he knows what is important for us on all the different natural resource and agriculture issues. Cliff has always been and will always be a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights, rights of the unborn, President Trump, agriculture and small business issues.

Raised on a cattle ranch, educated at Eastern Oregon University where he was student body president, choosing to return to Malheur County to practice law specializing in water and tax law, and serving 12 years in the Oregon Legislature, Cliff has spent his entire life working in and for Eastern Oregon.

He is one of us, and I am voting for Cliff Bentz for Congress.

Sen. Bill Hansell

Oregon District 29

Athena

The East Oregonian will not run candidate endorsement letters of more than 400 words.

The East Oregonian will institute a deadline for letters to the editor, so we can be fair with all the letters we receive and allow for responses before Election Day, if necessary.

We run the letters on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please submit your endorsement letters to the editor by noon Wednesday, April 22. You can email them to editor@eastoregonian.com, or mail them to East Oregonian, c/o Andrew Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, 97801.

We will publish our last letters on Saturday, April 25. Any letters received after the deadline will not run. Election Day is May 19.