Published 10:08 am Friday, May 1, 2026 In 2022, after Oregon’s new map for congressional districts was set in place, the state emerged with a high number of competitive U.S. House districts: Three out of six were Democratic-leaning, but not by enough to lock out Republicans. Nationally, fewer than a fifth of districts usually meet that description. The 2022 election gave Democrats two of those three seats. Then-Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle won the 4th District, which includes Eugene, Corvallis and much of Oregon’s coast, while then-state Rep. Andrea Salinas captured the 6th District in the Willamette Valley, though both contests were competitive. Voters elected Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer in the more closely-matched 5th District, based around Clackamas County on the west side and Deschutes County on the east. In 2024, even while Republicans did well nationally, Hoyle and Salinas seemed to solidify their positions, while Democrat Janelle Bynum ousted Chavez-DeRemer in another close race.…