College teacher, air force veteran, small business owner will run for Oregon Legislature
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe Gallegos, 503-347-6873, gallegos [at] up [dot] edu
Joseph Gallegos, a professor of social policy, air force veteran, and small business owner announced today that he will seek the Democratic nomination in the campaign for Oregon House District 30 in the Oregon Legislature. Gallegos pointed to a need to create good jobs and support education as his primary reasons for seeking office.
“I’ve served my country in the military and served my community by helping more Oregonians access the American Dream,” said Gallegos. “Now I’m ready to serve my community by helping business to create good and sustainable jobs, reinvesting in our public schools and seeking relief for those hard-pressed by our sluggish economy.”
Gallegos is professor emeritus at the University of Portland, and owns a consulting firm, Western Research Associates. Through his research and consultations, he has influenced national and local policies and legislation. He is a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum of Oregon and has long been a leader in the Latino community.
Gallegos moved to Oregon as a young child and was a farm worker in Washington County as a youth. After serving in the Air Force then Oregon Air National Guard during the Vietnam era, he worked for ten years in the Portland shipyards to support his parents and pay his way through night school at Portland Community College and Portland State University.
“Education provided me with a way to succeed. I want to make sure those opportunities are available to all Oregonians,” Gallegos said. “Our community has seen too many young people crammed into overcrowded classrooms, too may school days cut, too many teachers laid off from their jobs, too many home foreclosures, too many people without health-care benefits. With my announcement, I’m saying ‘enough.’ We can do better and when I’m representing this community in the House of Representatives, we will do better.”
Gallegos seeks to fill the vacancy on the ballot left after prior candidate Adriana Cañas announced she would end her campaign for personal reasons. Washington County Democratic Precinct Committee Persons in House District 30 will vote to choose the new candidate.
Gallegos is expected to quickly become one of the candidates to watch this election cycle as he runs in one of the most competitive legislative districts in Oregon.
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