Election results: Incumbent Rep. Greg Smith leads in Oregon House District 57 GOP primary
State Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, was in the lead to keep his seat in the Legislature in initial election results Tuesday evening.
Raymond Akers, a union operating engineer and precinct committee person for the Morrow County Republican Party, is challenging incumbent Rep. Greg Smith for the GOP nomination for House District 57.
Smith has represented House District 57, which encompasses all of Morrow, Gilliam, Sherman, Wheeler and portions of Wasco, Jefferson, Marion, Umatilla and Clackamas counties, since 2002.
Akers described himself as a "conservative alternative to what we've had the last 24 years."
He said he would prioritize making it easier to build affordable housing, job growth and protecting and managing the district's natural resources, starting with drinking water.
Akers also said his conservative Republican values would direct his work in the Legislature.
Smith did not respond to questions from the Statesman Journal.
No Democrats filed to run in the primary so the winner of the Republican primary will be the only name on the November general election ballot for the district.
Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on Twitter @DianneLugo
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Election results: Akers lags behind Smith in GOP primary
