Ed Diehl

Diehl was born in Plains, Montana. He graduated from Plains High School in 1983. He earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Stanford University in 1987 and a M.S. in mechanical engineering, specializing in smart product design, from Stanford in 1989.^[5]

Before entering politics, Diehl worked extensively in engineering, automation, and business management. He is a founder and former owner of Concept Systems, a control‑system integration firm based in Albany, Oregon, that provides industrial automation solutions to manufacturing clients in the United States and internationally.^[6] His work in the private sector included designing and implementing automated systems for industrial operations, managing engineering teams, and overseeing business development.

Diehl’s professional background also includes roles as an engineer and entrepreneur outside of Concept Systems, with experience in factory automation and efficiency improvement for manufacturing facilities.^[7]

In addition to his engineering and business work, Diehl is an instrument‑rated pilot and flies recreationally.^[8]

Diehl is a member of the Republican Party and represents District 17 in the Oregon House of Representatives, which includes East Salem, Turner, Detroit, and Idanha. He was first elected in 2022 and assumed office on January 9, 2023.

During the 2025 legislative session, he served on the following committees:

• House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee^[9]
• House Economic Development and Small Business Committee (vice‑chair)^[10]
• House Conduct Committee^[11]
• Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services^[12]

He was re‑elected in 2024, with his current term ending in 2027.^[13]

Diehl identifies as a conservative Republican. His stated priorities include forest management, support for small businesses, and reducing regulatory burdens. He has been critical of progressive policies adopted in Portland and emphasizes issues affecting rural communities.^[14]

In 2025, Diehl helped establish the Oregon Freedom Coalition (OFC), a political advocacy organization focused on tax policy, transportation funding, and government accountability. He serves as the organization’s president.^[15] Under OFC, Diehl supported and promoted campaigns opposing large-scale tax and fee increases proposed in statewide transportation legislation.

In June 2025, the Oregon Freedom Coalition launched No Tax Oregon, a statewide referendum effort opposing House Bill 2025, a transportation funding package projected to raise approximately $4 billion in new taxes and fees.^[16] The campaign sought to refer the bill to voters and mobilized volunteers to gather signatures across the state.

By late 2025, opponents of the transportation package—including No Tax Oregon—reported collecting more than 150,000 signatures, surpassing the roughly 78,000 required to qualify the referendum for the ballot.^[17] Commentators described the rapid signature‑gathering effort as unusually large and fast for a statewide referendum campaign.^[18]