A Republican incumbent and a Democratic challenger vying for a congressional seat in Oregon are each seeking to appeal to moderates and independent voters as the most centrist candidate.
Oregon favors Democrats overall. The state hasn’t had a Republican senator since 2009, and it has supported the Democratic candidate for president every year since it backed former President Ronald Reagan in 1984. However, the state’s 5th Congressional District, just south of Portland, is more competitive.
The area leans left, as President Joe Biden won the district by 8 points in 2020. However, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) won the seat during the 2022 midterm elections against Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner, who was perceived as too left-leaning as the state grappled with how leaders handled the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout.
Chavez-DeRemer’s seat is crucial for Republicans to maintain…
