Janelle Bynum, a Democratic state legislator in Oregon, has announced a Congressional campaign in which, if she is successful, she would replace a first-term Republican currently serving in a district (Oregon’s fifth) that went to Biden in the 2020 presidential race.
Bynum would be replacing Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who defeated the Democratic contender in the 2022 elections, who themselves had prevailed against the long-serving Democratic incumbent in that cycle’s primaries. The margins that drove Chavez-DeRemer’s initial victory were thin, as she ended just some 7,000 votes ahead in a race where over 350,000 were cast. For Bynum or another Democrat to be victorious would be a key step towards Democrats reclaiming control of the U.S. House, where Republicans are only ahead at present by a handful of seats.
Bynum has shared some remarks about her candidacy on Twitter, focusing in these comments posted to a personal account on factors including her personal background and involvement in real results for Oregonians through their state government. “I grew up watching hard work happen,” she said. “As the daughter of teachers & granddaughter of a police officer, I knew the importance of giving back to create a better community for everyone. These are the ideals I pass down to my own kids every day.” She also cited work to have “lowered the cost of prescriptions, protected reproductive & LGBTQ+ rights, built affordable housing, tackled the climate crisis & ensured that the next generation can get ahead either in school or through technical education.”
As for Chavez-DeRemer, she recently joined Republicans across the U.S. House in voting to send proposed articles of impeachment against Joe Biden for consideration by a couple of key panels in Congress. Though a small number of members of Congress didn’t participate in the vote, the results were entirely along party lines among those who did. As with other proposals to impeach the president or members of his administration, this proposal, which originates with Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), centers on deceptive allegations about the handling by the president’s team of the southern border and related issues in immigration.
