Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - via Press Release
Blogged by: Rebecca Lee


SIGNAL HILL, California – 2000 U.S. Olympic Silver Medal Wrestler, Matt “The Law” Lindland would bring the same dogged determination that made him one of the world’s top professional mixed-martial-artists to a job in the Oregon House of Representatives.

The 38-year-old resident of Oregon City may be near the end of his fighting career, but his political life is just beginning. Recently winning the Republican nomination for House District 52 in Oregon, Lindland received 58-percent of the votes in the primary and has begun his campaign for the general election in the fall.

Oregon suffers from some of the worst unemployment rates in the country, and Lindland believes there’s a solution—if the state became competitive in the global marketplace, jobs would open in the private sector and the quality of life would improve for his prospective constituents. When it comes to building a world-class school system, the would-be Representative believes in shifting power from the bureaucracy to the teachers, parents and principals. Other key issues for him include changing land laws to make them fair to property owners, discontinuing government regulation of property values, and opposing tax increases. Lindland offers an alternative to the Democrats’ planned tax hikes, which he feels would be dangerous to an already shaky economy. Instead, he proposes that if tax revenues continue to decline, state government should spend less and not raise taxes for families already suffering from the present recession.

The Oregonian endorsed Lindland’s candidacy:

Lindland, who is making his first run for public office, is a conservative who thinks state government takes too much out of the pockets of families and generally interferes too much in their lives. After a slow start to his campaign, he has shown signs of the resolve and discipline that made him a medal-winning amateur wrestler. (Phyllis) Thiemann, while very pleasant and interested in some district issues, makes a less compelling argument for her election. We think district Republicans will be hungry for Lindland’s gift.

Lindland has been a fighter all of his life. In fact, he earned his nickname, “The Law,” in an unusual way. He lost the championship final of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials to Keith Sieracki, who, according to Lindland, tripped him. Lindland appealed, based on rules prohibiting Greco-Roman wrestlers from using their legs for advantage and/or defensive/offensive moves. An arbitrator ordered a rematch and Lindland won. The U.S. Olympic Committee appealed in federal court to keep Sieracki on the team. A three-judge panel and federal district judge all decided in Lindland’s favor. A USOC request in the U.S. Supreme Court was denied. Lindland joined Team USA, captured an Olympic silver medal, and later took the nickname, “The Law.”

Lindland, who has won 20 of his 25 pro MMA fights, is matched against Fabio “Negao” Nascimento in one of five MMA bouts on “Affliction Banned,” July 19 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

“I’m so excited to be part of this show,” Lindland said. “I’m excited to be back in the gym and honored to be part of this great card. I love fighting in this arena more than in politics because I know my opponent in the ring. I look him right in the eyes.”