PORTLAND, Ore. — The election in Oregon's fifth congressional district is one of the most closely watched races in the nation as whoever wins could determine which political party controls the U.S. Congress.
Currently, two Democratic candidates are in a head-to-head battle to win the primary election on May 21. Whoever wins will take on Republican representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer in November.
On this week's episode of "Straight Talk," Democratic candidates Jamie McLeod-Skinner and Janelle Bynum sit down with Laural Porter to outline why they want to represent Oregon's fifth district, which stretches from the Portland suburbs and into the high desert of central Oregon.
Meet the candidates
Jamie McLeod-Skinner
McLeod-Skinner is an attorney and engineer from Terrebonne in Central Oregon. This is her third time running for Congress. In 2022, after winning the Democratic nomination, she lost to Chavez-DeRemer in the general election. Then, in 2018, she lost to Republican Greg Walden in Oregon's 2nd Congressional District race.
Currently, McLeod-Skinner serves on the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and is the co-chair of the Water and Climate Committee.
Janelle Bynum
Bynum is an engineer and small business owner who owns four McDonald restaurants in the Portland area. Currently, she represents District 39 in Oregon's House of Representatives, which covers Happy Valley and Clackamas. If elected, Bynum would be Oregon's first Black member of Congress.
"Straight Talk" airs Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m., and Monday at 7 p.m. "Straight Talk" is also available as a podcast.