PORTLAND, Ore. — A highly competitive race for the U.S. House is unfolding in Oregon, specifically in the GOP-held 5th Congressional District, which is one of several districts across the nation classified as toss ups this election cycle. Meanwhile, two other congressional contests in Oregon, the 4th and 6th districts, will attract attention as Democrats and Republicans vie for dominance in Congress. Each of these races features female incumbents seeking to retain their positions.
Among the most contested races is the 5th Congressional District. The Republican Party aims to hold onto a seat they secured in the 2022 midterm elections after almost a quarter-century of Democratic control. Freshman U.S. Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer will face a new Democratic challenger, Janelle Bynum. Bynum, a state representative who has previously bested Chavez-DeRemer in local elections, enjoys backing from national Democratic organizations and funding.
According to the Cook Political Report, this race is viewed as a toss up, indicating that both parties have a viable opportunity for victory. Millions of dollars from outside groups are being funneled into the campaign. Chavez-DeRemer won her seat narrowly in the 2022 elections, which were the first held in a newly redistricted area post the 2020 census. This district now includes various regions ranging from metropolitan Portland to its well-off and working-class suburbs, plus rural agricultural areas, mountain communities, and the growing city of Bend.
Unaffiliated voters constitute the largest demographic in the district, with approximately 25,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans. Both parties are optimistic that the increased turnout generally seen in presidential election years will invigorate their supporters.
Notably, a ballot drop box near the Multnomah County elections office has recently garnered attention after being set ablaze with an incendiary device just a week before the election, damaging three ballots. Authorities reported links between this incident and similar fire incidents at ballot drop boxes in nearby Vancouver, Washington, with one occurrence on the same day that impacted hundreds of additional ballots.
In contrast, the state’s 6th Congressional District, a newly established district, is perceived as a likely Democratic victory, providing an edge for incumbent U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas. She is running against Republican Mike Erickson, whom she narrowly defeated in the 2022 midterms by approximately 2.5 percentage points. Salinas has significantly outpaced Erickson in fundraising, boasting over $5 million in contributions against his $545,000, as per the latest federal campaign finance data.
Both Chavez-DeRemer and Salinas made history in 2022 as the first Latina members of Congress from Oregon. Erickson, who is making his fourth bid for Congress, has previous experience as the founder and CEO of a shipping and logistics consulting firm. The boundaries of the 6th District saw adjustments during the redistricting process that followed the 2020 census, encompassing the state capital, Salem, and parts of affluent suburbs in southwestern Portland. Based on the 2020 presidential election results, President Joe Biden would have claimed victory in this district by approximately 13 points.
Switching to the 4th Congressional District, Democratic freshman U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle is striving for reelection in a territory that covers the southern coastal region and includes rural mountainous areas alongside the liberal university towns of Eugene and Corvallis. Hoyle’s opponent, Republican Monique DeSpain, brings a unique background with three decades of service in the U.S. Air Force, primarily as a military lawyer; however, she is a newcomer to elected office and presents herself as an “outsider” candidate.
This district, which hasn’t elected a Republican representative since 1972, is also categorized as a likely Democratic win according to the Cook Political Report. By mid-October, Hoyle had already raised around $1.6 million more than DeSpain, although groups affiliated with the Republican Party were still investing heavily to attempt to flip the seat. The National Republican Congressional Committee, for instance, spent around $375,000 on advertisements aimed at opposing Hoyle’s campaign.