Greg Walden represents the people of Oregon’s Second Congressional District, which includes 20 counties in central, southern, and eastern Oregon. Walden is a lifelong Oregonian whose ancestors came to Oregon by wagon train in 1845. Walden graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in journalism. His wife, Mylene, is also a proud Duck. They celebrated 34 years of marriage in August 2016, and make their home in Hood River, Oregon, where they’ve been small business owners since 1986. Their son, Anthony, graduated from Wake Forest University in 2012.
Walden got his start in Washington, D.C. after the “Reagan Revolution” of 1980, when he served as the communications director on the successful campaign that defeated Rep. Al Ullman, D-OR, a 24-year incumbent who was chairing the Ways and Means Committee. Walden went on to serve as press secretary and chief of staff to the victor, Oregon Rep. Denny Smith for six years. He moved back home after he and his wife bought the family radio business. Two years later, in 1988, he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives where he helped engineer the GOP takeover in 1990 and became the youngest GOP Majority Leader in Oregon History. In 1995, he was appointed to fill out the last two years of a vacant seat in the Oregon State Senate.
Meanwhile, he and his wife expanded their radio station holdings from two stations to five. And in 1998 he was elected to the U.S. House, winning a seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2001.
In addition to his small business and legislative experience, Walden also severed several years on various boards, including the local community hospital board, a community bank board, the Oregon Health Sciences Foundation Board, and the Associated Oregon Industries board. He’s a member of the El’s and Rotary International, and is an Eagle Scout.
He’s served four years as Deputy Chairman of the NRCC and four years as chairman. He’s also served on the House Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Oversight and Government Reform. After the GOP takeback of the House in 2010, Walden was tapped to lead the Transition Team which brought about major reforms in the operations of the House.