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Oregon Rep. Greg Walden Takes Central Role In Health Care Fight

<p>House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, right, and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., wrap up a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 7, 2017.</p>

J. Scott Applewhite

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, right, and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., wrap up a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 7, 2017.

Oregon Rep. Greg Walden is one of the key authors of legislation that would replace the Affordable Care Act with a new approach to health care.

It's a role that comes with significant political opportunity, and potential peril, for Oregon's only Republican member of Congress.

OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes talked with "Morning Edition" host Geoff Norcross today about how Walden became so involved in the issue and the narrow line he is trying to walk between two wings of the Republican Party.

Click on the audio player above to listen.

Copyright 2017 Oregon Public Broadcasting

Jeff Mapes is a senior political reporter at Oregon Public Broadcasting. Previously, Jeff covered state and national politics for The Oregonian for nearly 32 years. He has covered numerous presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and ballot measure campaigns, as well as many sessions of the Legislature, stretching back to 1985. Jeff graduated from San Jose State University with a B.A. in journalism.