Oregon's 5th congressional district explained

State:Oregon
District Number:5
Image Caption:Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative:Janelle Bynum
Party:Democratic
Residence:Happy Valley
English Area:5,362
Metric Area:13,888
Percent Urban:80.34
Percent Rural:19.66
Population:717,312
Population Year:2024
Median Income:$96,200[1]
Percent White:78.8
Percent Hispanic:10.1
Percent Black:0.9
Percent Asian:3.0
Percent More Than One Race:5.9
Percent Other Race:1.4
Percent Blue Collar:24.5
Percent White Collar:60.6
Percent Gray Collar:14.9
Cpvi:D+4[2]

Oregon's 5th congressional district stretches from the Southeast corner of Portland through the eastern half of the Willamette Valley and then reaches across the Cascades to take in Sisters and Bend. It is one of six Oregon congressional districts. It includes a sliver of Multnomah County, the majority of Clackamas County, the rural eastern portion of Marion County, most of Linn County, a very small section of southwest Jefferson County, and the populated northwest portion of Deschutes County. It was significantly redrawn when Oregon gained a 6th congressional district after the 2020 census.

The district is currently represented by Democrat Janelle Bynum.

Following its creation after the 1980 census, the first five members to represent the district all got divorced while in office, a pattern that has brought the district to media attention.[3] [4]

History

The district was created in 1982 when Oregon was granted a new congressional district as a result of reapportionment from the 1980 census. Denny Smith, who had represented Oregon's 2nd congressional district in the previous Congress, was re-elected in the 5th district in 1982 after it absorbed most of the western portion of the old 2nd.

In 2002, the district shrank slightly in area due to redistricting. About half of the portion of the district that had been in Benton County was moved into the 4th district and portions of west-central Clackamas County were moved into the 3rd district. At the same time, small portions of northern Clackamas and southern Multnomah County that had previously been part of the 1st district were moved into the 5th district.[5]

Following the 2020 census and the subsequent redistricting, the 5th was redrawn significantly. It lost its western and coastal portions, including the urban portion of Salem, as well as all of Polk, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties. It gained all of Linn County and the most populated portions of Deschutes County. It is the most evenly divided district in partisan terms in Oregon, and has been through many iterations.

Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:[6]

Clackamas County (16)

Barlow, Beavercreek, Canby, Gladstone, Happy Valley (part; also 3rd), Jennings Lodge, Johnson City, Lake Oswego (part; also 6th; shared with Multnomah and Washington counties), Milwaukie, Molalla, Mulino, Oak Grove, Oatfield, Oregon City, Stafford, West Linn

Deschutes County (14)

Bend (part; also 2nd), Black Butte Ranch, Crooked River Ranch (part; also 2nd; shared with Jefferson County), Deschutes River Woods, Eagle Crest, Pronghorn, Redmond, Seventh Mountain, Sisters, Sunriver, Terrebonne, Tetherow, Three Rivers (part; also 2nd), Tumalo

Jefferson County (0)

No incorporated or census-recognized communities

Linn County (24)

All 24 communities

Marion County (15)

Brooks (part; also 6th), Detroit, Four Corners (part; also 6th), Gates, Hayesville (part; also 6th), Idanha (shared with Linn County), Labish Village, Mehama, Mill City (shared with Linn County), Mt. Angel, Salem (part; also 6th; shared with Polk County), Scotts Mills, Silverton Stayton, Sublimity

Multnomah County (3)

Dunthorpe, Portland (part; also 1st and 3rd shared with Clackamas and Washington counties)

List of members representing the district

RepresentativePartyTermCong
ress
Electoral history
District established January 3, 1983
align=left
Denny Smith
Republicannowrap January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 1991
Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Lost re-election.
align=left
Mike Kopetski
Democraticnowrap January 3, 1991 –
January 3, 1995
Elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Retired.

Jim Bunn
Republicannowrap January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 1997
Elected in 1994.
Lost re-election.
align=left
Darlene Hooley
Democraticnowrap January 3, 1997 –
January 3, 2009
Elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Retired.
align=left
Kurt Schrader
Democraticnowrap January 3, 2009 –
January 3, 2023
Elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Lost renomination.
align=left
Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Republicannowrap January 3, 2023 –
January 3, 2025
Elected in 2022.
Lost re-election.
align=left
Janelle Bynum
DemocraticJanuary 3, 2025 –
present
Elected in 2024.

Recent election results from statewide races

YearOfficeResults[7] [8]
2008PresidentObama 53% - 45%
2012PresidentObama 51% - 49%
2016PresidentClinton 46% - 43%
SenateWyden 54% - 37%
Governor (Spec.)Pierce 49% - 46%
Attorney GeneralRosenblum 51% - 46%
2018GovernorBuehler 49% - 45%
2020PresidentBiden 53% - 44%
SenateMerkley 53% - 43%
Secretary of StateThatcher 47% - 46%
TreasurerRead 47% - 46%
Attorney GeneralRosenblum 52% - 45%
2022SenateWyden 52% - 45%
GovernorDrazan 47% - 43%
2024PresidentHarris 52% - 44%
Secretary of StateRead 52% - 45%
TreasurerSteiner 46.8% - 46.7%
Attorney GeneralRayfield 51% - 49%

Election results

Sources (official results only):

2006

See also: 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

2008

See also: 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

2010

See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

2012

See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

2014

See also: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

2016

See also: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

2018

See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

2020

See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

2022

See also: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

2024

See also: 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon.

Historical district boundaries

When created in 1983, the district was an inland district focused around the Willamette Valley, and consisted of all of Clackamas and Marion counties, as well as small parts of the counties of Benton, Linn, and Polk.In 1993, the district gained a large coastal portion from the 1st district, gaining all of Tillamook and Lincoln counties as well as the rest of Polk, whilst part of Clackamas County was lost to the 3rd district.

In the 2003 and 2013 redistrictings, the changes were only minor, as the district gained a small portion of Multnomah County from the 3rd district in 2003 but lost it again in 2013, while it lost a portion of northern Clackamas County to the 3rd district in both 2003 and 2013.[9] [10]

In the 2023 redistricting, the district underwent major boundary changes, as it gained all of Linn County, some of Multnomah and Clackamas counties, and parts of Deschutes County including Bend, but it lost the entire coastal section it had gained in 1993 as well as the area in Polk and Benton counties to the 1st, 4th, and 6th districts. Parts of western Marion County, including the city of Salem, were also lost to the new 6th district.

See also

References

Specific
General

45°N -123°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: My Congressional District: Congressional District 5 (119th Congress), Oregon . United States Census Bureau.
  2. Web site: 2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress). 2025-04-05. Cook Political Report. en.
  3. News: Schraders continue divorce curse of Oregon's 5th District. OregonLive.com. November 6, 2018. en-US.
  4. News: Oregon District Where Every Member of Congress Divorces While in Office. AllGov. November 6, 2018.
  5. Almanac of American Politics, 2002 and 2006 editions.
  6. https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST41/CD118_OR01.pdf https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST41/CD118_OR05.pdf
  7. Web site: DRA 2020 . 2025-08-30 . davesredistricting.org.
  8. Oregon 2022-11-08 results by district (@elium2) . docs.google.com .
  9. News: Oregon legislators reach agreement on congressional redistricting. Mapes. Jeff. June 29, 2011. July 27, 2011. The Oregonian.
  10. Web site: Oregon's Congressional Districts (Senate Bill 990). Oregon Legislative Assembly. July 27, 2011. August 12, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110812204307/http://www.leg.state.or.us/redistricting/mapFiles/SB_990_Congressional.pdf. dead.