Candidates for Oregon State Treasurer from left to right: Republican Jeff Gudman, Independent Party's Chris Telfer, Democrat Tobias Read
Allison Frost / OPB
The three major party contenders for Oregon treasurer faced off Monday in a debate that often focused on the candidates' qualifications for the job.
Republican Jeff Gudman, Democrat Tobias Read and the Independent Party's Chris Telfer were part of the conversation during a broadcast of OPB's "Think Out Loud."
The Oregon Treasurer helps manage the state's borrowing and investments.
Gudman said his professional experience most closely lines up with the job. He works as a treasurer for the Legacy Emanuel Foundation and has served in that capacity for other organizations.
"It's been my line — campaign line and tag line — all along: a treasurer for treasurer. I bring decades of experience in the financial field," Gudman said.
Read has served five terms in the Oregon House. He said his experience as a state lawmaker gives him an advantage in the race.
"If the question is whether I can handle numbers, the answer is clearly yes," Read said. "I've been on the Revenue Committee nearly my entire time in the Legislature. I've been on the budget committee — the Ways & Means Committee — for quite a while as well."
Telfer is a former Republican state lawmaker. She's also worked as a certified public accountant with a practice in Bend.
She said that professional background makes her well-suited to the job of state treasurer.
"We need a problem-solver in there. People who can identify the problems and come up with the solutions to address those problems," said Telfer.
Also appearing on the ballot will be Chris Henry of the Oregon Progressive Party. The winner of the November election will replace Ted Wheeler, a Democrat. Wheeler has served in the job for six years but is leaving to become mayor of Portland.