The mayor of Springfield took a tour of the South Coast this week on the heels of Rep. Peter DeFazio’s town hall meetings.

Sid Leiken is hoping he’ll have another chance to follow in the Springfield Democrat’s footsteps — as the next congressman from Oregon’s 4th District.

Leiken, a third-term mayor, has filed for next May’s Republican primary with the Federal Election Commission. Joining Leiken in the Republican race is Jaynee Germond of Roseburg, who ran against DeFazio as a Constitution Party candidate in 2008.

Leiken’s priorities include economic development, public safety and education. He said he wants to see more logging and fewer government regulations. He sees value in having clean water and air policies, but sometimes they get interpreted too rigidly, he said.

“The idea is to get to yes, not to say, ‘No, you can’t,’” he said.

He agrees there’s a need for health care reform, though he’s concerned about the potential for a government option to put local insurance companies out of business.

And although DeFazio has been in office since the Reagan administration, Leiken said he isn’t daunted by having to challenge such an established candidate.

“I don’t think longevity is the key,” he said. “It’s who can I work with and deliver for the state.”