18 Facts About Matt Wingard

Matt Wingard is an American politician in the state of Oregon.

Matt Wingard was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Oregon House of Representatives in 2008, and was elected to the seat in 2008 and re-elected in 2010.

Matt Wingard represented District 26, which encompasses southeastern Washington County, including Sherwood; and southwestern Clackamas County, including Wilsonville.

Matt Wingard did not seek re-election to a third term.

Matt Wingard began his career as a television reporter in Yakima, Washington, for KIMA-TV.

Matt Wingard then served as a campaign manager and congressional aide to Congressman Doc Hastings who represents Central Washington State.

In 2001, Matt Wingard returned to Oregon and worked as legislative administrator at the Oregon State Capitol before starting his own consulting company in 2002.

Matt Wingard is the spokesman for the Oregon Connections Academy, an online charter school, that had an enrollment of 1,500 students as of 2007.

Matt Wingard has been a vocal supporter of school choice.

Matt Wingard was appointed by Washington and Clackamas county commissioners to fill a vacancy in the Oregon House following the resignation of Jerry Krummel in August 2008, and announced his plans to seek election to a full term.

Matt Wingard did community service and the conviction was eventually expunged.

Matt Wingard authored HB2512 which directs the Department of Transportation to issue Fallen Public Safety Officer registration plates.

Matt Wingard introduced House Bill 2754 to provide tax-credit scholarships to low- and middle-income children throughout Oregon.

Matt Wingard has been a longtime supporter of school choice and was the chief architect of the GOP education bills included in the Legislature's 2011 education reform package that passed over the objections of the state's teachers union.

In February 2010 Matt Wingard ignited a minor controversy when he extensively quoted an article during a speech on the floor of the Oregon House.

Some claimed it was plagiarism but Matt Wingard says he simply didn't have time to cite his source.

Matt Wingard's alleged wrongdoing, and his ensuing interactions with Cameron, became the subject of international press coverage amid speculation about a visit by several Republican lawmakers to a topless bar in California.

Matt Wingard has served on the Clackamas County Economic Development Commission and the Portfolio Options Committee of the Oregon Public Utility Commission.