Salinas, Erickson, win primaries in new Oregon 6th District

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — State Rep. Andrea Salinas has won the Democratic primary in Oregon’s new 6th U.S. House district.

Salinas, who has maintained her lead as more ballots have been counted from Tuesday’s primary, would be Oregon’s first Hispanic congresswoman if elected in November. She was endorsed by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a standard-bearer for the party’s progressive wing.

Earlier this week Democratic candidate Carrick Flynn conceded to Salinas.

On the Republican side Mike Erickson, a Lake Oswego businessman, has advanced to the November election in the 6th.

Money poured into the Democratic race for the newly created 6th Congressional District seat that featured Flynn, a relatively unknown political newcomer backed by a cryptocurrency kingpin and Salinas, a three-term state lawmaker. The district is located southwest of Portland.

The nine Democrats competing in the primary have spent more than $18 million combined and drawn more than $13 million in outside money to date, making the race one of the most costly among Democratic primaries nationwide, according to OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan research group that tracks money in politics.

Top among those was Flynn, who was backed by cryptocurrency billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried’s political action committee.