SALEM, Ore. — Democratic Congresswoman Andrea Salinas is projected to defeat Republican Mike Erickson in the race for Oregon’s 6th Congressional District, according to The Oregonian.
Salinas is the incumbent congresswoman for the 6th District, the first in its short history. Erickson’s challenge marks a rematch of their 2022 bout.
Prior to the 2020 Census, Oregon had only five congressional districts. But the state’s population growth over the prior decade handed it a new seat in Congress, and lawmakers set about redrawing district maps in the run-up to the 2022 election year.
Ultimately, Democrats in a redistricting commission pushed through a map that dropped the new 6th Congressional District southwest of Portland. The district roughly extends from the south side of Beaverton, through Tigard and Tualatin, and south along I-5 to include Salem and the southwest side of Marion County. It extends west toward the coast to include Polk and Yamhill counties.
Like Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, which changed significantly through redistricting, the new 6th District appeared to favor Democrats. But during the 2022 election season, it became much more competitive than expected.
That election saw Salinas face off against Erickson for the first time. As a state representative and former congressional staffer, Salinas had a higher profile heading into the general election. But Erickson, a businessman who’d previously run for Congress, appeared just as likely to take the new seat.
The 2022 campaign was bitterly fought, and Salinas prevailed. However, it was a narrow victory, separated by just over 6,000 votes.
Two years later, and the rematch between the now-incumbent Salinas and Erickson appeared very much a repeat of the last time they faced off. Polling showed them nearly even, with Salinas holding a slight lead that was well within the margin of error.
