This year’s filing deadline for incumbents running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Oregon was March 3, 2026. The filing deadline for non-incumbents was March 10, 2026.
Five incumbents — four Democrats and one Republican — are running in contested primaries. This year ties with 2018 for the highest number of incumbents running in contested primaries since 2014. There were three incumbents in contested primaries in 2024, four in 2022, four in 2020, five in 2018, four in 2016, and two in 2014.
In total, nine primaries — five Democratic and four Republican — are contested this year. In total, there were nine contested primaries in 2024, 10 in 2022, 10 in 2020, nine in 2018, seven in 2016, and five in 2014.
Among those incumbents facing a primary challenger is Rep. Cliff Bentz (R), who is running for the 2nd Congressional District. A total of nine candidates — six Democrats and three Republicans — are running for that district. That’s the most candidates running for a district this year.
While not all incumbents are facing primary challengers this year, all six — five Democrats and one Republican — are running for re-election. There was one open district in 2024, two in 2022, one in 2020, none in 2018, none in 2016, and none in 2014.
In total, 28 candidates — 17 Democrats and 11 Republicans — are running for Oregon’s six congressional districts. That’s 4.7 candidates per district. There were five candidates per district in 2024 and 7.5 in 2022. In 2020, when the state had five congressional districts, there were eight candidates per district. There were 6.4 in 2018, 3.8 in 2016, and 3.4 in 2014.
Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in all six districts, meaning no districts are guaranteed to either party.
Oregon and five other states — Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania — are holding U.S. House primaries on May 19, 2026.
In Oregon, the winner of a primary election is the candidate who receives the most votes, even if they do not win an outright majority.