Oregon state Rep. Janelle Bynum triumphed in the high-stakes Democratic primary, positioning herself to challenge Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) in what is projected to be one of the most hotly contested elections of the 2024 cycle.
With backing from the Democratic establishment, Bynum outpaced progressive candidate Jamie McLeod-Skinner, securing 70% of the vote with 48% of the ballots tallied. The Associated Press declared the race at 11:39 p.m. EST, less than an hour after the polls closed.
McLeod-Skinner’s primary loss follows her narrow defeat to Chavez-DeRemer in the 2022 midterm elections by just 2 percentage points. Bynum leveraged this previous loss during the primary, positioning herself as a candidate who has successfully challenged Chavez-DeRemer before and is poised to do so again.
Bynum previously defeated Chavez-DeRemer in 2016 and 2018 for a state House seat, winning by 2 points and 8 points, respectively.
Bynum also garnered support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which included her in its ‘Red to Blue’ program. This initiative provided her with strategic guidance and fundraising assistance, marking a rare instance of the House Democrats’ fundraising branch intervening in a party primary.
Oregon’s 5th Congressional District is emerging as one of the most closely scrutinized races, with Chavez-DeRemer defending her seat in a district President Biden won by 10 points in 2020. The district’s outcome could be pivotal in determining which party will control the House next year.
All 435 seats are up for grabs in 2024, with Republicans looking to maintain their slim majority in the lower chamber. Among these, 42 races are considered competitive, most of which are held by Democrats, giving the GOP a slight edge heading into the next election cycle.
However, of the 42 competitive seats, 17 are held by Republicans in districts that voted for President Biden in 2020, compared to just five Democrats who must defend their seats in districts won by former President Donald Trump. This dynamic suggests there are enough vulnerable GOP-held seats to keep the competition fierce in the upcoming election cycle.
