Dems take the lead in fundraising this quarter in Oregon’s congressional swing districts

The three Democratic incumbents representing former congressional swing districts in Oregon far outraised their Republican challengers in the third financial quarter of the year, according to federal campaign finance records. 

With less than three weeks before the general election, congressional candidates Thursday filed their third quarterly fundraising reports to the Federal Election Commission detailing their fundraising and spending between July 1 and Sept. 30. 

U.S Rep. Val Hoyle, a Democrat representing southern coastal and university towns across Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, her campaign outraised Republican Monique DeSpain by $150,000. 

As for U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, a Democrat representing the 5th Congressional District that stretches across the Santiam Canyon from Portland to Bend, she outraised her Republican competitor Patti Adair by nearly $630,000 this quarter. 

Democratic U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, of the Willamette Valley-based 6th Congressional District, raised $277,000 this quarter. Her opponent, former Dundee Mayor and Republican David Russ, raised $250. 

All three Democrats represent districts where four years ago their party won or lost the election by a slim margin, but political analysts predict their districts will stay Democratic in the Nov. 3 election. 

Oregon’s candidates to U.S. House have spent millions — but one stands out

The Democrats and Republicans running to represent Oregonians in the U.S. House of Representatives raised $2.8 million in the last three months and spent $3.2 million. Nearly 60% of that money went to the candidates in Oregon’s 4th and 5th Congressional Districts.

The financial backing behind Bynum remains the most expansive. Her campaign has contributions from 55 other states — mostly from Oregon. And similar to previous quarters, she raised and spent the most, raising $857,000 and spending $1.2 million. 

Bynum has $2.3 million remaining in her campaign account — the most out of any of Oregon’s U.S. House candidates. Adair, a Deschutes County commissioner, raised about $225,000 and spent $174,000 this quarter, leaving $186,000 in her campaign account. 

Behind Bynum, Hoyle raised the second-most this quarter. She’ll face DeSpain in a rematch just two years after she won her seat by nearly 8 percentage points. Hoyle raised $365,000 this quarter and DeSpain raised about $214,000. 

Hoyle’s campaign has raised $1.2 million this entire election cycle while DeSpain raised $678,000 in her main campaign account. DeSpain also raised $456,000 through a separate political action committee, “Team Monique.”

Fundraising for Oregon’s remaining congressional incumbents also outpace their competitors. 

In the North Coast-based 1st Congressional District, Democratic U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici reported raising $197,000. Her opponent, Gaston-based veterinarian and Republican Barbara Kahl, reported raising nearly $13,000. 

In the 2nd Congressional District that covers much of eastern and southern Oregon, Republican U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz reported raising $266,000 this quarter, though the congressman of five years still has $1.4 million in his campaign account. His opponent, former Democratic state lawmaker Chris Beck, raised $161,000 and has $125,000 remaining in his account. 

U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter, a Democrat representing the Portland-based 3rd Congressional District, reported raising $221,000 this quarter. Her opponent, Loran Ayles, did not report any fundraising to the Federal Election Commission. Only candidates who have raised $5,000 or more are required to report their campaign finances.

Oregon’s longtime Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley reported raising about $666,000 this quarter. He is up for reelection against the Republican state Sen. David Brock Smith of Port Orford. Merkley has $6.8 million in his campaign account, while Brock Smith has $50,000.