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Bentz handily wins re-election in Oregon's 2nd District

Republican U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz
Official photo
Republican U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz

As of Wednesday morning, Bentz had won 64 percent of the vote, compared to 32.8 percent for Dan Ruby, his Democratic challenger.

Bentz has represented Oregon's sprawling 2nd District, which covers nearly 2/3 of the state's land area, since winning election in 2020. He followed longtime Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) in the deeply red district.

Bentz was challenged by Democrat Dan Ruby, a longtime science educator who ran on a platform of increasing affordable housing, boosting education and making mental health services more available. Ruby was endorsed by a variety of Democratic, labor and progressive groups.

Bentz will begin his third term in a U.S. House of Representatives where it remains to be seen if Republicans will retain their razor-thin majority.

Liam Moriarty has been covering news in the Pacific Northwest for three decades. He served two stints as JPR News Director and retired full-time from JPR at the end of 2021. Liam now edits and curates the news on JPR's website and digital platforms.