Chavez-DeRemer, Bynum vie for Oregon's 5th District in 'toss up' race
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The battle for Oregon's 5th District between Republican incumbent Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Democratic challenger Janelle Bynum continues post-Election Day as votes are tallied.
As of 11 a.m. Nov. 6, Bynum maintained the lead with 47% of the vote and Chavez-DeRemer with 45% of the vote, according to the Oregon Secretary of State's Office. More than 6,000 votes separate the candidates and over 308,000 votes have been counted.
Just before 10:30 p.m. the night of the election, Bynum released a statement saying her campaign is confident, noting every vote must be counted.
DON'T MISS: Oregon, Washington Election Results 2024
“We are still waiting for final results for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, but it’s imperative that every lawful vote is counted, and our team will continue to monitor the returns. We are confident in our path to victory," Bynum said.
She continued, “I am grateful for the outpouring of support for my campaign and the vision that we built together, of Oregon over the last 16 months. Thank you to everyone who trusted me with their vote, volunteered for the campaign, and spoke to their friends, family, and neighbors about the importance of this election. We’ll provide updates as Oregonians’ voices continue to be counted.”
Just after 11 p.m. on election night, Chavez-DeRemer said, "The initial results have shown this is a close race, which we all expected. With over 100,000 left to be counted, I encourage everyone to have patience as counties continue to count their ballots. As we wait, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported my campaign. Oregonians want a strong, independent representative who will get things done to improve our communities. I’m confident that voters appreciate my track record as the second-most bipartisan member of Congress and that will bring us across the finish line."
The race has received national attention as Democrats see Oregon's 5th District as a seat that they can win in order to tip the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
Bynum has focused her campaign on voting rights, abortion rights, and health care reform — such as lowering the cost of prescription drugs.
Chavez-DeRemer has focused her campaign on addressing the fentanyl crisis and enhancing security at the U.S. southern border.
As reported by The Hill, Democrats see Chavez-DeRemer "as particularly vulnerable on an issue of outsize prominence this cycle: abortion, where she’s wavered between vows to oppose any bans on federal funding for the procedure, and voting to do just that when legislation hit the floor."
Chavez-DeRemer supported the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and has also said she supports a woman’s right to choose. During a debate hosted by KOIN 6 News, the congresswoman said while abortion access has become a state issue, she will continue to support abortion access in Oregon.
Meanwhile, Bynum emphasized the importance of codifying national abortion protections once held under Roe.
In the lead up to Election Day, Oregon's 5th District has been deemed a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report, naming the race among the most competitive in the nation. The race also brought House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to Oregon to rally for Chavez-DeRemer and Bynum, respectively, as the parties vie for the House majority.
Stay here for updates on Oregon's 5th Congressional District race.