It’s bad news for Republicans who thought he would make a good candidate for governor, but good news for the NRCC: Rep. Greg Walden, who represents roughly the eastern-two-thirds of Oregon, will not run for statewide office but will seek another term in Congress.

In other Oregon House news, Republicans had been hoping for an open-seat race in Oregon’s 4th district, where Rep. Peter DeFazio was contemplating a run for governor. Most Oregonians think DeFazio won’t run, but apparently he hasn’t yet ruled it out. The NRCC likes the leading candidate out there, Sid Leiken, but he obviously has a better shot in an open-seat race than against a veteran incumbent . . .