Returns Tuesday night indicate that U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, the Democratic incumbent in the 6th Congressional District, will win reelection.
At 10 p.m., Salinas had 54% of the vote, compared with 46% for Republican Mike Erickson, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, prompting her to declare victory.
“Tonight, the people of Oregon’s Sixth District have spoken, and they have once again chosen me to be their voice and champion in Washington, D.C.,” Salinas said in a statement. “I am proud of everything we have accomplished over the last two years, but I know there is more work that needs to be done. That is why I am so honored and humbled by tonight’s results, and grateful for the opportunity to build on this progress and continue serving our community in Congress. Most importantly, I promise to listen and continue being a representative for all Oregonians — no matter who you voted for in this election.”
In fresh results posted Wednesday evening by the Secretary of State’s Office, Salinas maintained her 8-point lead over Erickson, who has not conceded the race. He told the Capital Chronicle in a statement there were too many ballots still uncounted in regions of his district where he has supporters.
“We believe there is a pathway to victory, and we will have a clear picture on Friday,” Erickson said.
Salinas also faced Erickson in 2022, winning by 2.4 percentage points, but this time she is an incumbent, which usually comes with an advantage. She also significantly outraised Erickson with more than $5 million by mid-October, compared to nearly $545,000 for him. A millionaire, Erickson loaned his campaign more than $2.7 million last time but contributed little through most of this election, kicking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past few weeks.
Salinas was one of Oregon’s first two Latina congresswomen elected in 2022, along with Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who represents the competitive 5th Congressional District.
The 6th Congressional District, Oregon’s newest, includes Polk and Yamhill counties, urban Salem, southwestern suburbs of Portland and portions of Marion, Clackamas and Washington counties.
During the campaign, Salinas, also a former state legislator, touted her record in Congress, which includes bills to aid the behavioral health system with more workers and programs. In a Congress that moved at a glacial pace, Salinas got one bill passed and signed into law: a bill that restores the right of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to pursue land claims and compensation.
Erickson, a businessman from Tigard who runs a logistics company, ran on a platform of reducing inflation for businesses and improving the economy. If Salinas’ lead holds, this will be Erickson’s fourth unsuccessful bid for a congressional seat.
The race drew wide attention because the district was among a few targeted by Republicans hoping to increase their thin majority in the House. Nearly 31% of registered voters are Democrats, about 25% are Republicans and more than 37% are unaffiliated.
Two years ago, Salinas won 50% of the vote and Erickson 48%, while a Constitution Party candidate won about 2%.
UPDATED at 10:10 p.m. Tuesday and 4:50 p.m. Wednesday with additional results and statements from Salinas and Erickson.
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Ben Botkin covers justice, health and social services issues for the Oregon Capital Chronicle. He has been a reporter since 2003, when he drove from his Midwest locale to Idaho for his first journalism job. He has written extensively about politics and state agencies in Idaho, Nevada and Oregon. Most recently, he covered health care and the Oregon Legislature for The Lund Report. Botkin has won multiple journalism awards for his investigative and enterprise reporting, including on education, state budgets and criminal justice.
