Mike McLane has deep roots in rural Oregon. He grew up in Condon, where he worked summers on local farms and ranches. He was active in sports, 4-H, and FFA. Mike attended Oregon State University where he received a degree in Agricultural Resource Economics in 1987. Mike and his wife of 24 years, Holly, met while she was serving as the FFA state president. Today, Mike and Holly live on a small farm with their three children.
Mike has the work ethic and values rural communities need as they fight to retain jobs and attract new economic opportunities. In addition to serving on the Prineville / Crook County Economic Advisory Board, Mike is an attorney in Central Oregon and fights on behalf of small businesses and those in agriculture to make sure that their efforts are rewarded.
After earning the nominations of both the Republican and Democratic parties, Mike was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 2010. He serves on the budget-writing Ways & Means Committee and as Co-Vice Chair of both the Natural Resources and Transportation & Economic Development Subcommittees.
A little known fact about Mike is that he is also the co-founder and former CEO of a publishing company that produces educational books for children. One of the company’s book series inspired a highly acclaimed CBS Saturday morning cartoon show called Flying Rhino Junior High. Mike co-authored Wooden Teeth and Jelly Beans, a best-selling children’s book on U.S. history and the presidents.
Mike also serves our country as an officer in the Oregon Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field, a F-15 training base in Klamath Falls. He is currently assigned as the staff judge advocate. Previously, Mike was an officer in the 41st Infantry Brigade in the Oregon Army National Guard.
After graduating magna cum laude from Lewis and Clark Law School, Mike clerked for Justice Michael Gillette at the Oregon Supreme Court. He went on to work at Oregon’s largest law firm, Stoel Rives LLP. He also served several years as a circuit court judge pro tem in Deschutes County.
Mike is a strong supporter of public safety and rural emergency response. Mike has served as a special prosecutor for Multnomah County and worked for the US Attorney’s office where he helped prosecute drug and violent crimes.
Mike is passionate about leveraging our local resources to
bring back jobs and promote economic growth. To him, that also means creating
more local control over water rights and land use planning.