PORTLAND, Ore. — The head of the Portland area's regional government announced Thursday that she plans to run for Congress as a Democrat in 2024, hoping to unseat freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-Deremer in Oregon's 5th Congressional District.
Lynn Peterson is council president for Metro, probably the most enigmatic governing body in Portland for most voters. It covers Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties, operating garbage and recycling centers, natural areas like Oxbow Regional Park and venues like the Oregon Zoo, Oregon Convention Center and the Portland Expo Center, among other things.
Metro is perhaps best known in recent years for administering the supportive housing services tax, which has helped bankroll efforts to address homelessness in the tri-county area since voters passed the measure in May 2020.
Peterson was elected Metro Council President in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Before that she chaired the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners and served on the Lake Oswego City Council.
“I have spent my career working in local, regional, and state governments building coalitions to address urgent issues, from affordable housing to transportation, economic recovery and job creation,” said Peterson in her announcement. “Yet for all the hard work here in our Oregon communities, Congress is not doing its part — ideological politicians are more intent on culture wars than helping working people, more interested in rolling back fundamental rights than protecting our small cities and rural communities.”
Peterson lives in Lake Oswego, which is part of the 5th Congressional District.
The political landscape
Oregon's 5th District was one of the most closely-watched races of 2022 after redistricting significantly changed the district's shape ahead of that election — carving out an area stretching from the south end of Portland nearly to Eugene, primarily east of I-5, with a portion of the district extending further east to encompass the city of Bend.
The area can best be described as politically "purple." While the district map was originally expected to favor Democrats, Chavez-Deremer pulled out a narrow victory over Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner in November. McLeod-Skinner, a progressive, had unseated longtime incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader in the primary by running to his left.
While still in her first term in Congress, Chavez-Deremer now has the advantage of being an incumbent — and since taking office, she's been relatively careful not to engage in some of the more divisive rhetoric favored by her colleagues in safe districts, instead making efforts toward bipartisanship, at least on some issues.
But Peterson did not come into the 2024 race half-cocked. In her announcement she boasted over 50 major endorsements from current and former elected leaders, including former U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio and former Governor Barbara Roberts, as a well as a number of local mayors and county commissioners.
“I’m proud of my record of bringing people together to break through red tape and gridlock and get things done,” said Peterson. “As an engineer, it’s in my DNA to look at complex problems and figure out solutions. The partnerships we have built over my six years at Metro — with businesses and labor, environmental leaders, community organizations, law enforcement and local elected officials — all reflect the opportunities we have to break down polarized politics and focus on ideas and solutions that work.”
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Shortly after Peterson declared her candidacy on Tuesday, Oregon Republican Party Chair Justin Hwang released a statement blasting her "liberal" bid and advocating for Chavez-Deremer.
"Oregonians deserve a leader who will champion economic growth, support small businesses, protect our natural resources responsibly, and preserve the traditional values that make our district strong," Hwang said. "We cannot afford to be represented by someone whose policies consistently undermine these principles."