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Democrats Fight to Hold Oregon House Seat After Defeat of Centrist Incumbent Democrats Fight to Hold Oregon House Seat After Defeat of Centrist Incumbent
(32 minutes later)
Peter Watts, a registered Democrat and lawyer in Clackamas County, would have gladly voted this year to re-elect his longtime Democratic congressman, Representative Kurt Schrader of Oregon.Peter Watts, a registered Democrat and lawyer in Clackamas County, would have gladly voted this year to re-elect his longtime Democratic congressman, Representative Kurt Schrader of Oregon.
But when Mr. Schrader, a centrist, lost his primary to a more liberal challenger, Jamie McLeod-Skinner, whose background and qualifications Mr. Watts said he found lacking, he began thinking of crossing party lines.But when Mr. Schrader, a centrist, lost his primary to a more liberal challenger, Jamie McLeod-Skinner, whose background and qualifications Mr. Watts said he found lacking, he began thinking of crossing party lines.
“The Lori I know isn’t extremist at all,” he said, referring to Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the Republican running against Ms. McLeod-Skinner, whom he added he had known for years. “I really hope I’m not disappointed.”“The Lori I know isn’t extremist at all,” he said, referring to Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the Republican running against Ms. McLeod-Skinner, whom he added he had known for years. “I really hope I’m not disappointed.”
Mr. Schrader’s loss to Ms. McLeod-Skinner, an emergency response coordinator, reflected liberal frustration with the seven-term congressman, who has opposed key pieces of President Biden’s agenda, including pressing successfully to scale back a measure to lower the cost of prescription drugs.Mr. Schrader’s loss to Ms. McLeod-Skinner, an emergency response coordinator, reflected liberal frustration with the seven-term congressman, who has opposed key pieces of President Biden’s agenda, including pressing successfully to scale back a measure to lower the cost of prescription drugs.
Now his district will serve as a test of whether a more progressive candidate can hold a competitive seat in a reliably blue state during a difficult year for Democrats.Now his district will serve as a test of whether a more progressive candidate can hold a competitive seat in a reliably blue state during a difficult year for Democrats.
Mr. Schrader’s defeat led the nonpartisan Cook Political Report to rate the district as a tossup, after previously determining it would lean toward Democrats. In the final days of the race, that rating has shifted even further to the right, to “lean Republican.”Mr. Schrader’s defeat led the nonpartisan Cook Political Report to rate the district as a tossup, after previously determining it would lean toward Democrats. In the final days of the race, that rating has shifted even further to the right, to “lean Republican.”
Even Mr. Schrader is publicly undecided. He said he had decided to stay out of the race even with his party’s control of the House at stake, refusing to say whom he would vote for.Even Mr. Schrader is publicly undecided. He said he had decided to stay out of the race even with his party’s control of the House at stake, refusing to say whom he would vote for.
“I’m going to try and see how close these two people come to reflect the things I think are important,” Mr. Schrader said in an interview late last month. “And then weigh that — and who they are — and make a decision.”“I’m going to try and see how close these two people come to reflect the things I think are important,” Mr. Schrader said in an interview late last month. “And then weigh that — and who they are — and make a decision.”
Cindy Isbell, who was waiting for a delivery outside her home in Gladstone on a recent afternoon when Ms. Chavez-DeRemer came crunching through the leaves to offer a campaign flier, was thrilled to hear that Mr. Schrader was no longer in the race.Cindy Isbell, who was waiting for a delivery outside her home in Gladstone on a recent afternoon when Ms. Chavez-DeRemer came crunching through the leaves to offer a campaign flier, was thrilled to hear that Mr. Schrader was no longer in the race.
“Good,” Ms. Isbell said. “Well, you’re getting my vote — no doubt about that,” she told Ms. Chavez-DeRemer, turning to her husband to instruct him, “We’re voting for her.”“Good,” Ms. Isbell said. “Well, you’re getting my vote — no doubt about that,” she told Ms. Chavez-DeRemer, turning to her husband to instruct him, “We’re voting for her.”
Democrats’ concerns about the race have intensified as widespread frustration with high inflation, as well as homelessness and public safety in Portland, have reverberated throughout the state, bolstering Republican efforts to flip the governor’s office for the first time in four decades, as well as to flip multiple congressional and state seats down the ballot.Democrats’ concerns about the race have intensified as widespread frustration with high inflation, as well as homelessness and public safety in Portland, have reverberated throughout the state, bolstering Republican efforts to flip the governor’s office for the first time in four decades, as well as to flip multiple congressional and state seats down the ballot.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Justin Hwang, the chairman of the state Republican Party, said at a gala hosted by the League of Minority Voters, where Ms. McLeod-Skinner and Ms. Chavez-DeRemer both participated in a forum. Asked about the race, he added, “It would be much harder if Kurt were still a congressman; he has the name ID, and he’s more of a moderate.”“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Justin Hwang, the chairman of the state Republican Party, said at a gala hosted by the League of Minority Voters, where Ms. McLeod-Skinner and Ms. Chavez-DeRemer both participated in a forum. Asked about the race, he added, “It would be much harder if Kurt were still a congressman; he has the name ID, and he’s more of a moderate.”
Both women would make history if elected, Ms. McLeod-Skinner as the first openly L.G.B.T.Q. lawmaker to represent Oregon, and Ms. Chavez-DeRemer as the first Republican Latina congresswoman in the state’s history. Having survived their respective primaries, they have focused their campaigns on highlighting their bipartisan bona fides and swatting away accusations that they are entrenched in their party’s extremes.Both women would make history if elected, Ms. McLeod-Skinner as the first openly L.G.B.T.Q. lawmaker to represent Oregon, and Ms. Chavez-DeRemer as the first Republican Latina congresswoman in the state’s history. Having survived their respective primaries, they have focused their campaigns on highlighting their bipartisan bona fides and swatting away accusations that they are entrenched in their party’s extremes.
To drive home the point, Ms. McLeod-Skinner often wears a lavender or purple button-down shirt — “a bit of a statement,” she said, about the shade of her politics — while Ms. Chavez-DeRemer elicits chuckles on the campaign trail when she mentions parenting twin girls aligned with different parties.To drive home the point, Ms. McLeod-Skinner often wears a lavender or purple button-down shirt — “a bit of a statement,” she said, about the shade of her politics — while Ms. Chavez-DeRemer elicits chuckles on the campaign trail when she mentions parenting twin girls aligned with different parties.
“You start to see your voice somewhat get shut out with the one-party voice, and so I thought it was important for some balanced, pragmatic thought,” Ms. Chavez-DeRemer, the former mayor of Happy Valley, said in an interview before a business forum. “I thought it was time to address some of the issues that we’re seeing — the high cost of living, certainly our education system, as well as the crime.”“You start to see your voice somewhat get shut out with the one-party voice, and so I thought it was important for some balanced, pragmatic thought,” Ms. Chavez-DeRemer, the former mayor of Happy Valley, said in an interview before a business forum. “I thought it was time to address some of the issues that we’re seeing — the high cost of living, certainly our education system, as well as the crime.”
Ms. McLeod-Skinner, who lives in rural central Oregon, has worked to downplay the perception that she is aligned with national progressive groups. And she has criticized Ms. Chavez-DeRemer for being too far right for the district, including the Republican’s assertion on Twitter this year that she would support restricting abortion access at the federal level and her evasion of questions about the legitimacy of the 2020 election.Ms. McLeod-Skinner, who lives in rural central Oregon, has worked to downplay the perception that she is aligned with national progressive groups. And she has criticized Ms. Chavez-DeRemer for being too far right for the district, including the Republican’s assertion on Twitter this year that she would support restricting abortion access at the federal level and her evasion of questions about the legitimacy of the 2020 election.
“I can talk with equal comfort to folks who are hard-core progressives and rural farmers, and it’s about talking about the issues,” Ms. McLeod-Skinner said in an interview over a latte in an Oregon City cafe and bookstore. She pointed toward lowering the cost of prescription drugs, increasing support for family-owned farms and investing in housing and education as areas for bipartisan appeal.“I can talk with equal comfort to folks who are hard-core progressives and rural farmers, and it’s about talking about the issues,” Ms. McLeod-Skinner said in an interview over a latte in an Oregon City cafe and bookstore. She pointed toward lowering the cost of prescription drugs, increasing support for family-owned farms and investing in housing and education as areas for bipartisan appeal.
“Call me whatever you want to call me,” she added, dodging a question about whether she would join the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, which Mr. Schrader helped lead, or the Congressional Progressive Caucus.“Call me whatever you want to call me,” she added, dodging a question about whether she would join the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, which Mr. Schrader helped lead, or the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Ms. McLeod-Skinner’s allies argue she will be able to energize their liberal base with her support for policies that address climate change, as well as codifying access to abortion into law and protecting other rights. She has also continued to raise more money than Ms. Chavez-DeRemer and has accumulated dozens of endorsements, including from Oregon lawmakers.Ms. McLeod-Skinner’s allies argue she will be able to energize their liberal base with her support for policies that address climate change, as well as codifying access to abortion into law and protecting other rights. She has also continued to raise more money than Ms. Chavez-DeRemer and has accumulated dozens of endorsements, including from Oregon lawmakers.
“That’s kind of the scary part is like, for me, do you vote Republican in hopes for change because this isn’t working?” said Destiny Woolworth, 34, while taking her lunch break recently. “Or do you vote Democrat because that’s maybe where more of your views are?” “That’s kind of the scary part is like, for me, do you vote Republican in hopes for change because this isn’t working?” Destiny Woolworth, 34, said while taking her lunch break recently. “Or do you vote Democrat because that’s maybe where more of your views are?”
She said she would vote for Democrats down the ballot because of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that ensured a constitutional right to an abortion.She said she would vote for Democrats down the ballot because of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that ensured a constitutional right to an abortion.
For her part, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer is counting on voters like Lisa Enyart, 57, who repeatedly said that she is fervently supportive of abortion rights, adding that “it’s what I know — it’s like in my veins.”For her part, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer is counting on voters like Lisa Enyart, 57, who repeatedly said that she is fervently supportive of abortion rights, adding that “it’s what I know — it’s like in my veins.”
But because Oregon has protected the right to an abortion and taken steps to assist women from other states seeking an abortion, Ms. Enyart said she feels comfortable supporting Republican candidates based on their economic and energy policies. But because Oregon has protected those rights and taken steps to assist women from other states seeking an abortion, Ms. Enyart said she feels comfortable supporting Republican candidates based on their economic and energy policies.
She learned about Ms. Chavez-DeRemer after pitching in to help Christine Drazan, the Republican candidate for governor, whose campaign has helped Republicans down the ballot. On a recent Wednesday, as smoke from a nearby wildfire clouded the air, she was among those making that case to undecided voters in a nearby neighborhood.She learned about Ms. Chavez-DeRemer after pitching in to help Christine Drazan, the Republican candidate for governor, whose campaign has helped Republicans down the ballot. On a recent Wednesday, as smoke from a nearby wildfire clouded the air, she was among those making that case to undecided voters in a nearby neighborhood.
“I think if I lived in Montana, if I lived in Oklahoma, I would probably be a Democrat,” she said. Yet in Oregon, Ms. Enyart said, “it’s on the economy, it’s on safety, it’s on homelessness.”“I think if I lived in Montana, if I lived in Oklahoma, I would probably be a Democrat,” she said. Yet in Oregon, Ms. Enyart said, “it’s on the economy, it’s on safety, it’s on homelessness.”