PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — After barely losing the race for Oregon governor in 2010, former Portland Trailblazer Chris Dudley is back in the game.
Now a businessman, the former athlete described himself as “the outsider” who can win the Republican nomination and put Oregon back on track.
KOIN 6 News profiles Dudley’s past, present and possible future as governor.
“There are real solutions and I have a plan,” Dudley said.
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Dudley lost to John Kitzhaber for Oregon governor in 2010. Now he’s shooting his shot for a second time.
“We had the thing won on Tuesday night and ended up losing on Thursday afternoon,” Dudley said, recalling the tight race. “And after that, in 2010, my wife, and I agreed with her, said, ‘I don’t want you to run again until the kids are out of high school.’”
Born in Connecticut, the 61-year-old is a Yale Graduate. He played 16 years in the NBA, including two stints with the Portland Trail Blazers, ending his career with Rip City in 2003.
Dudley was on the negotiating committee for the NBA Players Association and is currently part of the group lobbying to keep the Blazers in Portland and renovate the Moda Center.
Chris Dudley of the Portland Trail Blazers circa 1994. (Photo by Gary Weber/Sporting News via Getty Images
Chris Dudley of the New York Knicks (L) has the ball slapped away by Terry Cummings of the Philadelphia 76ers (R) during their game 07 December in Philadelphia. The 76ers won 93-78 (Photo credit TOM MIHALEK/AFP via Getty Images)
19 Feb 1997: Center Chris Dudley of the Portland Trailblazers grabs a rebound during a game against the Orlando Magic at the Orlando Arena in Orlando, Florida. The Magic won the game 95-84. (Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport)
Dallas Mavericks’ A.C. Greene (L) grabs a rebound away from Chris Dudley of the Portland Trail Blazers (R) during first half action at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas, 08 April. (Photo by PAUL BUCK / AFP via Getty Images)
“This is Portland and Oregon’s team, and we want to compete to keep the team here,” he said.
After the NBA, Dudley became a successful private sector investor and financial planner, living in San Diego before returning to Oregon.
Dudley has diabetes and, in 1996, started a basketball camp for children with the disease.
“So when we started the camp, I’m thinking the most important thing is teaching them how to play basketball and coaching them up, and then how to handle your diabetes while playing,” he said.
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Dudley hopes to bring non-profit and business experience to Salem, saying Oregon has lost ground in everything from education to business attractiveness under Democratic leadership and career politicians.
“And frankly, it got to the point where I said, enough is enough, we have to do better,” Dudley said.
His decision to run came after months of speculation and a high-profile appearance at a major GOP dinner late last year.
“We need to get a little life, a little swagger back. Oregon needs to go back to being a leader, and right now… we don’t have that,” Dudley said back in November of last year.
Now, with a war chest of some $2.5 million, including $1 million from Nike founder Phil Knight, Dudley hopes the second time is the charm.
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