Ron Saxton

Following the election, Saxton announced he was unlikely to run for political office again. In 2007, he joined manufacturer Jeld-Wen as an executive. Saxton left Jeld-Wen in 2014 to return to private practice as a partner with Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt in Portland and in 2015 joined Pacific Northwest healthcare system PeaceHealth.

Saxton won the Republican primary for Governor of Oregon on May 16, 2006 with 43% of the vote, versus Mannix's 30% and Atkinson's 22%. On November 7, 2006, Saxton was defeated by Democratic incumbent Ted Kulongoski.

On March 23, 2005, Saxton announced that he would again seek the Republican nomination for governor in 2006. Kevin Mannix also ran again, and State Senator Jason Atkinson ran a strong campaign as well. Toward the end of the primary, Saxton and Mannix launched a series of negative ads toward each other.

In 2002, Saxton unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Governor of Oregon. He placed third in the primary behind Kevin Mannix and Jack Roberts.

Saxton helped to co-found the Ater Wynne law firm in 1990. From 1990 to 2000 he served as the chairman of the firm. In 1997, he was elected to the Portland Public Schools Board serving through 2001, and served as its chair from 1998 to 2000.

Ronald L. Saxton (born 1954) is an American lawyer, business person and Republican politician in Oregon. A native of Oregon, his first public office was with the Portland Public Schools Board. He has run twice for Governor of Oregon, losing in the 2002 primary election, and winning the Republican nomination in 2006, but losing in the general election.

Saxton was born in Albany, Oregon in 1954. He graduated from Albany High School in 1972, earned a bachelor's degree from Willamette University in 1976, and a juris doctor at from University of Virginia School of Law in 1979.