Robert H. Niemeyer III, a Republican mechanical engineer and business owner, is running for Oregon House of Representatives District 25 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Niemeyer has no previous elected or appointed office. "We all need genuine representation and I believe that is what I can do for the People of Oregon and District 25," he said in a questionnaire response to Surround Sound News.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: Oregon House of Representatives, District 25
- Education: Silverton Union High School (1973); Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Oregon State University (1978)
- Credentials: Professional Engineering License in Oregon and California
- Family: Two children; divorced
- Previous elected office: None
Experience and public service
Niemeyer is the owner and president of New Ventures Engineering LLC, a product development firm he has run for nearly 40 years. He was a store manager at Car Toys Inc. from 2004 to 2018 and previously worked at Niemeyer Industries, Wilco Farm Stores, the Capital Journal and as a foreman at a Silverton cannery, according to his BallotReady profile.
He has served as a volunteer election observer at the Washington County election facility in Hillsboro.
Niemeyer was among the first 18-year-olds in Oregon to vote in the 1972 general election. He served as a Republican precinct representative in Silverton. As a young voter, he attended bill-writing classes arranged by then-Gov. Tom McCall, according to his campaign website.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Niemeyer's questionnaire responses and campaign website.
Transportation and toll roads: Niemeyer opposes toll roads in Oregon and opposes using fuel tax revenue for mass transit, light rail or city sidewalks. He said fuel tax revenue should go exclusively to public highways, roads, streets and roadside rest areas, with 89% returned to the county where the fuel was purchased and 10% reserved for large cross-county or cross-state projects. He supports local control of road and bridge maintenance.
Taxes and budget: Niemeyer wants to cap property tax increases at 3% and preserve what he calls the Trump small business tax cut. He said property taxes should fund police, fire protection and county records, not schools. He said that change would require a constitutional amendment.
Housing: Niemeyer opposes high-density housing and light rail in Tigard, saying in a campaign post that they lead to higher crime rates.
Election integrity: Niemeyer opposes Oregon's mail-in ballot system. He supports photo ID requirements, in-person voting, single-day elections and on-site ballot counting.
Government reform: Niemeyer said the state Legislature should focus on oversight rather than directing spending. He proposed converting elected and appointed officeholders to what he calls "Independence Contractors" who would receive only monetary compensation.
Responses are based on public data and answers to a Surround Sound Media questionnaire if they were provided.
