Written by August 8 in The Oregonian
Chris Dudley razzes his oldest son as they do squats and butt kicks side-by-side on a basketball court at the heart of a sunny, forested summer camp. Holding his right foot behind him to stretch the top of his thigh, Dudley loses his balance and, for a moment, puts his hand on Charlie’s shoulder. Minutes later, the former Trailblazer center cleanly swings a leg over his son’s head and chuckles.
It is a snapshot of a man enjoying himself, spending time with his son at the annual basketball camp Dudley created nearly two decades ago to help teens realize that, like him, being diabetic doesn’t mean holding back their dreams.
After narrowly losing his bid to become Oregon’s first Republican governor in 24 years, Dudley has returned to the rhythms of private life, running the charitable Chris Dudley Foundation and working as a financial adviser.
Yet the Yale-educated diabetes advocate, who seemed to be a political novelty when he announced his campaign, still gets a glint in his eye when the discussion turns to politics. The loss — by a single percentage point — left Dudley and his family battered, but not defeated. He’s staying involved in the Republican Party and some hope he will run for political office again.
In the most detailed interview since the race, Dudley and his wife, Chris Love Dudley, tell The Oregonian they haven’t ruled out the possibility of another campaign, although when and for what office is far from decided.
Read the rest of the story and see a video interview here.
JAYME FRASER 