Democratic and Republican incumbents are stockpiling money to fend off challengers to their first re-election bids for Congress as one Democratic challenger outraised another in their primary race in the 5th District.
According to their first-quarter reports of contributions and spending, filed April 15 with the Federal Election Commission:
• Democrat Janelle Bynum of Happy Valley has outraised Jamie McLeod-Skinner of Terrebonne as they seek the nomination for the U.S. House in Oregon’s 5th District in the May 21 primary. Bynum, a four-term member of the Oregon House, raised $942,234 and spent $381,413 so far in the 2023-24 election cycle. McLeod-Skinner, who lost a close race for the congressional seat in 2022, has raised $651,974 and spent $384,325. (All numbers are rounded.)
Both seek a rematch of sorts with the one-term Republican incumbent from Happy Valley, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, in what is already one of the nation’s most watched contests for the House, which currently has a one-vote Republican majority. Bynum defeated Chavez-DeRemer for the Oregon House in 2016 and 2018. McLeod-Skinner lost to Chavez-DeRemer by 7,299 votes (50.3% to 48.3%) for the congressional seat in 2022. McLeod-Skinner also ran for the 2nd District congressional seat in 2018 and for Oregon secretary of state in 2020.
• Meanwhile, Chavez-DeRemer reported raising $3.14 million and spending $1.27 million to defend the seat, which takes in about 70% of Clackamas County voters, then goes south to rural portions of Marion and Linn counties, then east across the Cascades to Bend and part of Deschutes County. McLeod-Skinner won in Clackamas and Deschutes counties, but lost Marion and Linn counties to Chavez-DeRemer.
• Democrat Andrea Salinas of Tigard has raised $2.3 million and spent $700,000 so far this cycle in her bid to win a second term in the 6th District, which takes in small portions of Washington and Clackamas counties, plus Yamhill and Polk counties, and the urban part of Marion County (Woodburn, Keizer and Salem).
She has a primary opponent, Cody Reynolds of Tualatin, who also ran for the then newly created seat in 2022. He reported raising $3,250 and spending $2,520.
• Republican Mike Erickson of Lake Oswego has raised $120,201 and spent $25,765 in what will be his fourth bid for Congress. His campaign committee reported debts of $2.8 million, largely his own money. He has three primary opponents, Dundee Mayor David Russ and David Burch and Conrad Herold, both of Salem. None of them have campaign committees on file with the FEC.
Erickson lost bids for the 5th District seat in 2006 and 2008. Salinas beat him in 2022 for the new 6th District seat by a final margin of 7,210 votes, 50% to 47.5%. The Constitution Party candidate won most of the remaining votes.
pwong@pamplinmedia.com
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