Oregon Democrat unseats GOP incumbent in toss-up House race, narrowing Republicans' majority

The win narrows the Republican majority in the House to 218 seats to Democrats' 209.

Chavez-DeRemer conceded Thursday, saying, "I hope Ms. Bynum will follow the example I have set over the past two years and serve as a pragmatic, thoughtful, and bipartisan leader who will work with the Trump administration to address housing affordability, improve public safety, and secure the border."

Chavez-DeRemer was first elected to Congress in 2022, defeating her Democratic opponent by 2 points. With the victory, Chavez-DeRemer became the first woman to represent Oregon in the House of Representatives.

The two candidates engaged in a contentious race in recent months, with Bynum attempting to link Chavez-DeRemer to President-elect Trump and her position on abortion, as the congresswoman hit Bynum on crime and illegal immigration. 

Election experts predicted that the race between Chavez-DeRemer and Bynum could play a key role in deciding which party controls Congress.

Oregon's recently redrawn 5th Congressional District covers Linn County, most of Clackamas, Deschutes, and parts of Multnomah and Marion counties.