By Brendan O’Brien

(Reuters) – Nicholas Kristof, a former columnist for the New York Times, announced Wednesday that he will run for Oregon governor. He said he wants to tackle systemic social problems in Oregon where he grew on his family’s cherry and sheep farms.

Kristof (62), a Yamhill resident in central Oregon said that he would tackle poverty and homelessness if elected.

He stated, “It is time to take action against a system that has been rigged against so Many Oregonians.”

After 37 years of service at the New York Times, Kristof retired earlier this month. He was a columnist, reporter, editor, and editor. The Pulitzer Prizes are the most high honor in U.S. journalism. He was awarded one Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the 1989 Tiananmen Democracy Movement in China. Another Pulitzer Prize in 2006 was given for his reporting about the Darfur genocide.

He said, “I’ve spent my life shining light in the darkest corners on the planet and it hurt my heart to return from crisis abroad to only find crises here at home.”

Kristof has not previously sought office but joined the field of 10 Democrats and 12 Republicans that have either filed papers for or declared their intention to run for governor. Due to term limitations, Kate Brown, Democratic Governor of Massachusetts, is unable to run for re-election.

The primary election will take place on May 17, and the general elections on November 8, 2022.