Oregon National Guard Veteran, Alek Skarlatos released the following statement following his primary victory in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District.

“As a political outsider, I am thankful to be selected as the Republican nominee for Oregon’s 4th Congressional District. It’s clear Washington is broken, Joe Biden’s liberal policies are not working, and we need solutions to reduce inflation, lower gas prices, and lower the cost of healthcare while improving access for rural Oregon,” said Oregon National Guard Veteran Alek Skarlatos. “Oregon’s 4th Congressional District is the poorest district in the state, it’s clear the status quo is not working, and now more than ever, we need fresh ideas and new solutions that will help middle-class families in our state.”

The 4th Congressional District, newly formed after the decennial redistricting process, is 33.8% Democractic, 25.5% Republican and 33.7% non-affiliated.

 Skarlatos is a former Oregon National Guardsman, who served in Afghanistan. In 2015, while traveling on a train bound for Paris, Alek, along with four others, jumped into action to stop an Islamic Terrorist who tried to open fire on a passenger train. His heroism earned him several awards and medals around the world including, the United States' Soldier’s Medal.

After serving as a National Guardsman for 5 years, Alek left military service in November 2017. Upon completing his service, Alek voiced his inspiring experience by authoring 15:17 to Paris: The True Story of A Terrorist, A Train, and Three American Heroes describing the events that led up to the attack on the train ride to Paris from Amsterdam. He worked with legendary director Clint Eastwood on the film 15:17 to Paris that portrayed the harrowing attack in which Alek starred as himself.

Alek’s experience stretches beyond the military. With a strong belief in service to his community, Alek has toured the country encouraging others to take control of their lives and the importance of duty to the community. Alek stays active by advocating for responsible forest management in Oregon. He lives in Roseburg where he spends his free time hiking and exploring all that Oregon has to offer.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-05-17 20:22:39

Last Update: 2022-05-17 19:07:30