December 2, 2021 4:10 a.m.

It didn’t take long for the first candidate to emerge following Congressman Peter DeFazio’s announcement that he will retire after his current term in Congress ends.

Oregon’s Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle threw her hat into the ring only hours later.

A statement from Hoyle issued Wednesday afternoon paid tribute to DeFazio before announcing her intentions. Hoyle said, “Peter DeFazio will go down as a giant among Oregon leaders. He is a fighter for the people of Oregon who delivered results for the people of our district time and time again. His determination to help lift up Oregon families is unmatched, his integrity beyond compare, and his accomplishments are truly historic”. Hoyle said, “We will miss his leadership dearly. Peter DeFazio is truly irreplaceable”.

Hoyle said Oregonians need a continuation of DeFazio’s leadership, and said that is why she is announcing her candidacy for Congress in Oregon’s 4th congressional district.

Hoyle said, “From my time as Majority Leader in the Oregon House to my current role as Labor Commissioner, I have built a track record as a fighter for the middle-class and working families”. Hoyle said she has always been focused on getting the job done, not on who gets the credit. Hoyle said, “Nobody can fill Peter DeFazio’s shoes. But I am determined to do all I can to ensure that his dedication to our people and communities, his strong and principled leadership, and his track record of putting the needs of hard-working Oregonians first will continue”.

Prior to becoming Labor Commissioner, Hoyle represented a portion of Lane County in the Oregon State Legislature from 2009 to 2015. She ran for Secretary of State in 2016, but finished second in the Democratic Primary. Hoyle was elected as the state’s 10th Labor Commissioner in May of 2018. She lives in Springfield.