In a tough re-election race in Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a Republican member of the House, is focusing her campaign on criminal justice reforms to appeal to a varied voter base, while also deflecting fears related to the party’s political roadmap. Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s re-election campaign is among a handful of neck-and-neck races across the nation that will ultimately decide the political future of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer, while attending a wedding in Oregon’s scenic countryside, launched into issues surrounding the state’s approach to drug laws and the way this impacts local law enforcement. She criticized her Democratic counterparts for their decision to decriminalize certain illicit substances and alleged they were neglecting local law enforcement.
At a business meeting, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer flagged the state’s novel initiatives on law enforcement as the key factors behind the increasing crime, drug overdose incidents and rampant homelessness. She argued that the state’s decision to decriminalize hard drugs has been detrimental. The underlying message of her campaign centers around support for law enforcement officials and addressing the fallout from drug decriminalization.
Despite Portland’s struggle to escape its image as a city in crisis, statistics show a national trend of decreasing violent crime reflecting in the city with a dip in homicide and gun violence since the previous year. Nonetheless, the state of Oregon has seen a steady rise in opioid-related crisis over the last five years, as reported by the state’s public health body.
Despite statistical evidence, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer continues to emphasize her law-and-order stance. She aims to exploit the electorate’s displeasure relating to how the state has been handling crime, homelessness, and fentanyl overdoses following Oregon’s decision in 2020 to decriminalize possession of hard drugs in small quantities. Her campaign actively attempts to push back against opponent Janelle Bynum’s portrayal of her as a mere enabler of the Republican agenda in Congress.
The race for Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District, containing Portland’s southern suburbs and continuing east to the growing town of Bend in the Cascade Mountains, is considered one of the few highly competitive races that could potentially tilt the control of the House in either direction. Currently, Republicans have the majority, albeit by a slim margin.
Although crime as a stand-alone issue has not emerged as a major concern among voters per Gallup surveys, Republicans on nationwide scale express more concern about crime than Democrats. Oregon’s local surveys this year revealed that issues like housing, homelessness, crime, and drugs were of utmost concern to residents of the Portland area and to the state’s under-40 demographic.
Mirroring Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s strategy, Republican candidates in comparable House races across the country have decided to take a similar approach. For instance, Gabe Evans, a Republican candidate from a district near Denver, and Mike Garcia, a Southern Californian representative, are two such figures leveraging crime rates and drug overdose incidents for their campaigns.
The intensity of the race is evident in the state of Oregon, with polls suggesting a virtual tie between Ms. Chavez-DeRemer and Ms. Bynum. The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan body, classes the race as highly uncertain. In the final stage, both campaigns have poured significant funds into the race, exceeding $5M cumulatively.
In an attempt to portray Ms. Bynum as being lenient on crime and anti-law enforcement, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s campaign ads held her responsible for the implementation of a legislative package that prohibited minor traffic stops. In contrast, Ms. Bynum has focused her campaign on the reinstatement of penalties for drug-related crimes and creating safer communities.
Ms. Bynum, potentially the first Black woman to represent Oregon in Congress, openly talks about how her lived experiences as a person of color shapes her perspectives of public safety. While campaigning in the district’s predominantly white neighborhoods, Ms. Bynum adopted ‘suburban mom’ attire, knocked on doors in a friendly rhythm, and always ensured she wore lipstick.
With an eye on voters from both sides of the aisle, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer proudly referred to her bipartisan legislative efforts, primarily revolving around tackling the fentanyl crisis. She asserted that public safety is a matter that is detached from the party lines and talked about focusing all her efforts on ensuring safe communities and roads.
Whether this heavy emphasis on safety is resonating with the voters in the district is hard to discern. Conversations with voters across the political spectrum indicate while they feel safe in their respective neighborhoods, there’s increased anxiety about visiting downtown areas since the pandemic.
Though public safety isn’t a top concern for resident Tyler Roberts, the challenging housing market is driving his decision toward voting for Ms. Chavez-DeRemer. He shares that his personal experience has been unproblematic, however, he acknowledges the issue might be of concern depending on where one lives in Portland.
The recent right-wing shift of the Republican Party presents a hurdle for Republican candidates like Ms. Chavez-DeRemer. Ms. Bynum regularly reminds voters that their vote for Ms. Chavez-DeRemer would potentially empower House Republicans to implement right-leaning policies, which include a national ban on abortion, a policy Ms. Chavez-DeRemer has stated she would not support.
Despite concerns, Sandy Sheffield may still vote for Republican candidates like Ms. Chavez-DeRemer, but she admits her faith in the electoral process is dwindling due the heightened polarization and mudslinging in politics. For her, the decision increasingly feels like settling for the ‘lesser of the evils’.