U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, both Oregon Democrats, speak to a crowd at a town hall in Albany on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (Photo by Mia Maldonado/Oregon Capital Chronicle)
Oregon’s candidates for Congress raised nearly $3 million between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 — half a million more than they had in the previous quarter, federal campaign finance records show.
As the May 19 primary approaches, fundraising is ramping up among candidates for U.S. Congress, with the tightest races expected in Oregon’s 4th and 5th Congressional Districts.
All six U.S. House incumbents — Democrats Suzanne Bonamici, Janelle Bynum, Maxine Dexter, Val Hoyle and Andrea Salinas and Republican Cliff Bentz — are expected to seek reelection. They have until March 3 to file for reelection. At least 14 others have filed to run, according to campaign filings on the Oregon Secretary of State website. Non-incumbents have until March 10 to file to be in the May 19 primary.
Only those that have raised more than $5,000 for their campaign are required to report their finances to the Federal Election Commission every three months.
Merkley raises millions
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley raised the most this quarter out of Oregon’s congressional delegation — raising $1.2 million and spending $419,000 on his campaign.
The Democratic senator since 2009 has nearly $6 million remaining in his campaign fund, mostly from rollover funds from previous campaign cycles, federal records show.
His colleague, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, is not up for reelection until 2028.
Opponents in Oregon’s most competitive districts bring in $500,000
Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, which spans from Bend to Portland, continues to be the likely most competitive district, with Bynum raising the most out of her House colleagues from Oregon.
Bynum in 2024 was up against Lori Chavez-Deremer, who now serves as the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Bynum won by 2.7 percentage points. In the last three months of 2025, Bynum raised $506,000 and spent $136,000 on her campaign. She has $1.8 million remaining in her campaign fund.
Patti Adair, a Deschutes County commissioner and Bynum’s most prominent opponent, raised $185,000 in the last quarter and spent $12,000 on her campaign. The Republican reported having $173,000 left in her campaign fund.
Oregon’s 4th Congressional District is another competitive race, spanning the college towns of Eugene and Corvallis, as well as the central and south coast. Hoyle, the incumbent, raised about $135,000, spent $97,000 and has $386,000 remaining in her campaign fund.
Hoyle’s top competitor, Monique DeSpain, raised $309,000 this quarter. DeSpain, a Eugene Republican and U.S. Air Force veteran, challenged Hoyle in the 2024 election and lost by about 30,000 votes. She spent $33,000 on her campaign this quarter and has $276,000 remaining in her campaign account.
DeSpain, one of the few challengers nationwide to outraise an incumbent, said her success in the last quarter of 2025 shows voters want change.
“Despite a tough year-end fundraising climate, our campaign raised nearly $400,000 from 1,100 grassroots donors across every corner of Oregon’s Fourth District—amassing nearly three times Congresswoman Hoyle’s anemic $134,000 and returning the national spotlight on this race in Oregon’s Fourth Congressional District,” DeSpain said in a statement. “The momentum is undeniable.”
Melissa Bird, a trained social worker and life coach, is also running against Hoyle in the Democratic primary. Bird raised $8,300 last quarter and spent $9,300 on her campaign. She reported having $3,100 in her account by the end of the quarter.
Salinas — who represents Oregon’s 6th Congressional District which includes parts of Clackamas, Marion and Washington counties and all of Polk and Yamhill counties — raised $193,000 this quarter. She spent $156,000 on her campaign and has $506,000 remaining in her campaign fund.
Her main opponent, Republican David Russ, reported no fundraising or expenses this quarter, but he still has $7,000 in his campaign fund.
Some candidates in safe districts raise less than last quarter
Bonamici’s, Dexter’s and Bentz’s districts are largely safe districts, with all three congressional delegates winning their districts in 2024 with more than 60% of the vote.
Bonamici raised $139,000 this quarter, slightly more than the previous quarter. The Democrat representing Oregon’s 1st Congressional District that stretches from west Portland to cities along the North Coast spent $120,000 on her campaign and has $536,000 remaining.
Meanwhile, Dexter and Bentz both raised less than they did in the third quarter of 2025.
The Portland Democrat representing Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District which spans from east Portland to Hood River raised $137,000 — $14,000 less than last quarter. She spent $109,000 and has $200,000 remaining in her campaign fund.
Bentz, the Republican representing the state’s 2nd Congressional District located mostly in central and eastern Oregon, raised the least out of his U.S. House colleagues this quarter. He raised $94,000 — less than the $184,000 he raised in the third quarter. He spent $46,000 and has $1.3 million remaining in his campaign fund.
At least three Democrats running against Bentz reported raising funds this quarter, including Dawn Rasmussen, who raised $16,600, Patty Snow who raised $13,000 and Rebecca Mueller, who raised $3,800.
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