Janelle Bynum projected to win Oregon’s 5th District, ousting Lori Chavez-DeRemer
SALEM, Ore. (KGW/KTVZ)— Democratic state lawmaker Janelle Bynum is projected to win the race for Oregon's 5th Congressional District, according to The Oregonian, ousting incumbent Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer and flipping a key U.S. House seat in the still-unresolved fight for control of the chamber, KGW reports.
Bynum took an early lead over Chavez-DeRemer in the first round of results on election night and managed to hold the lead in the following days, but it was a small enough lead that the race remained too close to call until Friday morning.
Bynum released a statement shortly after the call, acknowledging her victory and declaring that she would work on behalf of Oregon's children to "make their futures brighter... for their education, for their reproductive freedoms, for their job opportunities, and so much more."
"I am proud to be the first – but not the last – Black Member of Congress from Oregon, and I’m grateful for what this moment means not just for my children, but for all young people across our state to see that change is possible," she added. "In Congress, I will always stand up for Oregonians – no matter who you voted for in this election – and fight tirelessly every day to deliver for families all across our district. Today, we chart a new path forward for Oregon – one of hope, opportunity, and change for the better."
The race was among the most closely watched nationally, and it became Oregon's most expensive federal congressional contest this year by far. Democrats controlled the seat for decades until Chavez-DeRemer flipped it in 2022, capitalizing on a changed political environment after the district's borders were heavily adjusted in the 2020 census.
The news comes less than a day after another hotly-contested Pacific Northwest race was also called for Democrats — incumbent Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez was able to hold on to her seat in Washington's 3rd Congressional District in a close rematch against challenger Joe Kent.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated with more information.
