In the Oregon Democratic primary for the 5th Congressional District, state Rep. Janelle Bynum emerged victorious over the more progressive Jamie McLeod Skinner, securing her place as the Democratic candidate to take on Republican freshman Lori Chavez-DeRemer in the upcoming general election. Bynum received support from Oregon Democratic leaders and national groups, as well as backing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which invested over $1 million in her campaign. The 5th District, which includes areas south of Portland, is considered a key target for Democrats in their effort to gain control of the US House.
Bynum, who operates McDonald’s franchises in the Portland area, is currently in her fourth term in the Oregon House. She has previously defeated Chavez-DeRemer in electoral contests. McLeod-Skinner, the 2022 Democratic nominee for the seat, was supported by progressive groups and advocated for policies like “Medicare for All.” The primary race grew contentious at times, with accusations of a hostile work environment within McLeod-Skinner’s campaign staff. McLeod-Skinner criticized Bynum for initially voting against legislation to extend the statute of limitations for rape civil cases, though Bynum later supported an amended version of the bill.
In the state’s 3rd Congressional District, state Rep. Maxine Dexter secured the Democratic primary victory, positioning her as the likely successor to longtime Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who is retiring after nearly thirty years in Congress. Dexter, a pulmonologist, highlighted her efforts to make naloxone, a drug used to treat opioid overdoses, more accessible. Her main competitor in the primary, Susheela Jayapal, was backed by prominent progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders and her sister Rep. Pramila Jayapal.
Dexter raised $919,000 in campaign funds leading up to the primary, while Jayapal raised $770,000 and Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales raised $606,000. Dexter received significant outside spending support from the 314 Action Fund, a super PAC that supports Democratic candidates with science backgrounds. This outside spending drew criticism from Jayapal, Morales, and Dexter herself, who all denounced the influence of dark money in the campaign. Despite this backlash, Dexter emerged as the Democratic nominee for the 3rd District, a solidly blue seat in the Portland area.
Overall, Oregon’s Democratic primaries in the 5th and 3rd Congressional Districts showcased the tensions between more establishment-backed candidates like Bynum and Dexter and their more progressive opponents like McLeod-Skinner and Jayapal. The battles for these seats, seen as crucial in the Democrats’ efforts to gain control of the US House, highlighted the influence of outside spending in campaigns and the challenges of navigating intra-party disagreements and controversies. As the general election approaches, the dynamics of these races will continue to shape the political landscape in Oregon and beyond.
