From KTVZ.COM news sources

Ending months of speculation, Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., confirmed Friday he’s running for a seventh House term next year - and not for Oregon governor.

The six-term congressman and former state legislator had been strongly considering a run for governor, but he finally decided the House is the best place for him, as he believes many of Oregon’s problems arise in the nation’s capital.

“I care deeply about where Oregon is and where it’s headed and where it could be,” Walden told news partner KBND Radio.

“But I’ve come to the conclusion that I can probably do more right now at the federal level,” he said, “because so much of the problems we are encountering starts and ends with what’s happening in Washington right now, with these high deficits killing jobs.”

Another key role is that, after six terms, Walden said he believe his move up the seniority ranks has made him a more effective lawmaker.

As ranking member of the House Oversight and Investigations subcommittee, Walden is involved with a wide range of issues, ranging from food safety to energy policy.

Just this week, Walden - the first congressman to reveal (by Twitter tweet no less) he’d contracted the H1N1 swine flu, chastised federal officials for over-estimating the speed and amount of H1N1 vaccine supplies available to the public.

He’s also become more highly visible, with frequent appearances on the Fox News Channel and radio talk shows.