As He Gears Up for Possible Presidential Run, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee Hires Oregon Political Operative

Ben Unger, a onetime state representative from Washington County, most recently ran Our Oregon.

Gov. Jay Inslee (Courtesy state of Wash.)
By Nigel Jaquiss

As Washington Gov. Jay Inslee prepares to join a crowded field of Democrats seeking the 2020 presidential nomination, Politico reports that he's hire a team of political consultants, including former state Oregon state Rep. Ben Unger (D-Beaverton).

Unger, 42, won election to the Oregon House in 2014 and left after one session to become the executive director of Our Oregon, the public employee union non-profit that specializes in ballot measures. He stepped down from that position in May 2018 and moved to Georgia, although he remained active in Oregon politics, consulting on a slate of ballot measures last year.

Politco notes that Inslee picked up consultants who had been working with the California billionaire Tom Steyer, who has ruled out a presidential run. Unger previously did work for NextGen, Steyer's political action committee, which focuses on environmental issues.

Unger wasn't immediately available for comment.

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