Democrat Janelle Bynum is projected to win Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ, making her the first Black lawmaker to represent Oregon in Congress.
Bynum, an Oregon state representative, has ousted first-term incumbent Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, (R) who flipped the seat into the GOP column for the first time in decades during the midterms.
Democrats were optimistic about Bynum’s chances of retaking the seat, pointing to her success against Chavez-DeRemer in two state legislature races. She beat out progressive Jamie McLeod-Skinner, last year’s Democratic nominee, in the primaries to win the party nod.
Establishment Democrats rallied around Bynum, with endorsements from Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) and EMILY’s List, a group that had endorsed McLeod-Skinner two years earlier.
Biden won the district, representing the suburbs of Portland and Salem, by nearly 9 points in 2020.
