Oregon Votes: Presidential Primaries Decided, Congressional Battles Shaping Up

Oregon Primary election day 2024 polls closed at 8:00 p.m. on May 21.

Elections officials across the state immediately began to report early partial returns.

At 10:00 p.m., The Epoch Times reported on races, with some candidates presumed winners based on leads that appeared to be insurmountable.

Already, their party’s presumptive nominees, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, are projected to win the Democratic and Republican primaries, respectively, in Oregon.

On May 22, President Biden had 88 percent of the Democrat primary vote while 7 percent had cast their ballot for Marianne Williamson and 4.8 percent of voters had written in an alternative.

President Trump ran unopposed and secured 91.81 percent of the vote, with 8.19 percent choosing a write-in candidate.

In Congressional District 1, Suzanne Bonamici, a left-of-center Democrat who has held the seat since 2012, secured 91.48 percent of the votes. She will meet Republican primary winner Bob Todd, who ran unopposed, in the November General Election.

In Congressional District 2, incumbent Congressman Cliff Bentz had tallied nearly 82 percent of the vote and will face Democratic candidate Dan Ruby, who secured nearly 85 percent support in the heavily Republican district.

With 52.78 percent of the vote at 10:00 p.m., Maxine Dexter, a doctor and state representative, is projected to win Oregon’s third congressional district Democratic primary over progressive candidate Susheela Jayapal. Sister of “Squad” member U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-7), Susheela had levied allegations of “MAGA meddling and AIPAC funding” against her opponent. Those allegations proved untrue.

Ms. Dexter will face the projected Republican nominee, Joanna Harbour, who had secured 52.29 percent of the vote.

With Democrats outnumbering Republicans three to one in the district, the Democratic primary winner of CD3 is widely expected to take office next year.

Republican candidate Monique DeSpain had secured 58.01 percent of her party’s vote at 10:00 p.m. and seemed certain to sail past opponent Amy Ryan Courser, who had won 41.10 percent. Ms. DeSpain now sets her sights on Democratic incumbent Val Hoyle to represent the state’s 4th Congressional District.

Republicans see the seat as a key pickup opportunity in the House as the incumbent finds herself embroiled in a scandal from her time as an Oregon state official.

House GOP leadership has rallied behind Ms. DeSpain, with Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik all endorsing her bid.

Ms. Hoyle ran unopposed.

Democratic voters have overwhelmingly chosen Oregon State Rep. Janelle Bynum (with 69.88 percent of the vote at 10:00 p.m.) over attorney Jamie McLeod-Skinner (at 29.50) to take on Republican incumbent Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer for control of Oregon’s 5th district.

The party boosted Ms. Bynum by adding her to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) “Red to Blue” list of 17 candidates it’s backing to challenge vulnerable House Republicans.

Ms. Bynum is endorsed by Democratic Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-6), Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts, the 314 Action Fund, Emily’s List, the Congressional Black Caucus, and more. She has raised $1.1 million since June 2023.

Ms. Chavez-DeRemer ran unopposed for her party’s nomination. She is endorsed by Republican Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-2) and former Rep. Greg Walden, the Oregon Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, Log Cabin Republicans, and nearly a dozen trade unions. She has raised $3.34 million this year.

The race is considered a true toss-up in the general election.

With nearly 90 percent of the vote, freshman incumbent Rep. Andrea Salinas was on track to defeat primary challenger Cody Reynolds in the Democratic primary race for CD6.

She will face businessman Mike Erickson, who had secured 74.58 percent of the Republican primary vote.

Mr. Erickson is currently suing Ms. Salinas for misleading advertisements she ran against him when they competed for this seat in 2022. She prevailed in that race by just 2 percent. He recently won the first round of the suit. Ms. Salinas is appealing.