SALEM, Ore. — Janelle Bynum, the Democratic challenger for Oregon's 5th Congressional District, raised about $3.4 million from mid-July to Sept. 30, surpassing Republican incumbent Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer in total campaign fundraising for the U.S. House of Representatives seat.
Chavez DeRemer raised about $1.39 million in contributions and transfers during the same timeframe, according to the most recent federal campaign reports published late Tuesday.
Bynum's $3.4 million is the largest single quarter of campaign contributions for a federal candidate in Oregon history, according to Federal Election Commission data.
FEC filings shows Bynum has now raised $5.9 million to Chavez DeRemer's $5.51 million in the OR-05 race.
It's by far the most expensive of Oregon's U.S. House races in this election cycle, reflective of both Republicans' and Democrats' desires to maintain or flip the seat in the contested district.
Roughly 94% of Bynum's third-quarter contributions came from individuals, compared to about 66% for Chavez DeRemer, whose latest filing includes a greater share of donations from other sources such as Political Action Committees.
Redistricting after the 2020 census reshaped OR-05 into a more competitive district. Chavez DeRemer beat Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner by 7,299 votes in 2022 after McLeod-Skinner ousted the seat's previous occupant, moderate Democrat Kurt Schrader, in the primary.
The Oregon Secretary of State's office shows that there are about 169,000 registered Democrats in the district to 145,000 Republicans. But the district's largest voting bloc is made up of unaffiliated voters, with 186,000. This year, the race is considered a toss-up.
Campaign finance reports show that as of the start of October, Chavez DeRemer still had more cash on hand still to spend, with $1.59 million to Bynum's $1.2 million — something that Chavez-DeRemer's campaign was quick to flag when asked about the fundraising totals.
"Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer has enthusiasm, momentum, and a significant cash-on-hand advantage entering the final weeks of this campaign," senior advisor Nick Trainer said in a statement. "Oregonians are seeing through Janelle Bynum’s near decade of failure in Salem supporting rapists, rioters, and tax hikes on working families. Oregonians will re-elect Lori Chavez-DeRemer to continue serving as a commonsense, solutions-oriented voice for them in Congress."
The Bynum campaign pointed to the recent swell of campaign donations as evidence of growing support.
“This record-breaking fundraising haul further demonstrates the Bynum campaign’s momentum and widespread support heading into the final stretch of the general election,” said Blakely Wall, Campaign Manager for Bynum for Congress. “It’s abundantly clear that Oregonians are ready for a change in Washington, and Janelle Bynum is the leader who will deliver for this state. Janelle has the funds, momentum, and support to defeat Lori Chavez-DeRemer for a third time this November.”