United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2012
Encyclopedia
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the five U.S. Representatives
from the state of Oregon
, apportioned
according to the 2010 United States Census. The elections will coincide with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election
. Primary election
s will be held on May 15, 2012.
reached an agreement on redistricting
all five of Oregon's congressional districts, as required by population changes from the 2010 Census. Among other changes, Downtown Portland
was moved from District 1 to District 3; District 2 ceded more of the Grants Pass
area to District 4; and District 5 was changed to include more of Clackamas County and only small parts of Multnomah County.
was represented by Democrat David Wu
from 1999 until his resignation in August 2011. A special election
will be held in January 2012 to fill the seat.
has represented Oregon's 2nd congressional district
since 1998. Joyce Segers, a businesswoman who unsuccessfully challenged Walden as the Democratic nominee in 2010, will run again.
, who has represented Oregon's 3rd congressional district
since 1996, said in June 2011 that he was fundraising and laying the groundwork to run for re-election, but had yet to make a final decision as to whether he would run again.
has been represented by Democrat Peter DeFazio
since 1987. Art Robinson
, who unsuccessfully challenged DeFazio in 2010, will run again.
External links
has represented Oregon's 5th congressional district
since 2008. He is expected to run for re-election in what is widely considered to be the most competitive district in the state. Fred Thompson, a retired timber executive from Salem
, has announced he will seek the Republican nomination. Thompson sought the nomination in 2010, but was defeated by former state representative Scott Bruun
, who lost to Schrader in the general election. Both Bruun and Chris Dudley
, the Republican nominee for Governor in 2010
, have announced they will not run.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from the state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, apportioned
United States congressional apportionment
United States congressional apportionment is the process by which seats in the United States House of Representatives are redistributed amongst the 50 states following each constitutionally mandated decennial census. Each state is apportioned a number of seats which approximately corresponds to its...
according to the 2010 United States Census. The elections will coincide with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election
United States presidential election, 2012
The United States presidential election of 2012 is the next United States presidential election, to be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. It will be the 57th quadrennial presidential election in which presidential electors, who will actually elect the President and the Vice President of the United...
. Primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s will be held on May 15, 2012.
Redistricting
On June 29, 2011, members of the Oregon Legislative AssemblyOregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
reached an agreement on redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
all five of Oregon's congressional districts, as required by population changes from the 2010 Census. Among other changes, Downtown Portland
Downtown Portland
Downtown Portland, the city center of Portland, Oregon, United States, is located on the west bank of the Willamette River. It is in the northeastern corner of the southwest section of the city and is where most of the city's high-rise buildings are found....
was moved from District 1 to District 3; District 2 ceded more of the Grants Pass
Grants Pass, Oregon
-Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,...
area to District 4; and District 5 was changed to include more of Clackamas County and only small parts of Multnomah County.
District 1
Oregon's 1st congressional districtOregon's 1st congressional district
Oregon's 1st congressional district consists of the northwest corner of Oregon. It includes Clatsop, Columbia, Washington, and Yamhill counties, and southwest Portland, part of Multnomah County, which belonged to the 3rd district before the 2002 redistricting....
was represented by Democrat David Wu
David Wu
David Wu is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of Portland west of the Willamette River, as well as all of Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop, and Washington Counties...
from 1999 until his resignation in August 2011. A special election
Oregon's 1st congressional district special election, 2012
A 2012 special election in Oregon's 1st congressional district will be held on January 31, 2012 to fill a seat in the U.S. Congress for Oregon's 1st congressional district, following the resignation of Representative David Wu...
will be held in January 2012 to fill the seat.
District 2
Republican Greg WaldenGreg Walden
Gregory Paul Walden is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district covers more than two-thirds of the state . He is the son of Paul E...
has represented Oregon's 2nd congressional district
Oregon's 2nd congressional district
Oregon's 2nd congressional district is the largest of Oregon's five districts, and is the seventh largest district in the nation. The district covers roughly two-thirds of the state, east of the Willamette Valley...
since 1998. Joyce Segers, a businesswoman who unsuccessfully challenged Walden as the Democratic nominee in 2010, will run again.
District 3
Democrat Earl BlumenauerEarl Blumenauer
Earl Blumenauer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Portland east of the Willamette River. A native of Portland, he previously spent over 20 years as a public official representing the city.-Early...
, who has represented Oregon's 3rd congressional district
Oregon's 3rd congressional district
Oregon's 3rd congressional district covers most of Multnomah County, including Portland east of the Willamette River, Gresham, and Troutdale. It also includes the northern part of Clackamas County, including Milwaukie. Parts of northwest Portland also lie within the district...
since 1996, said in June 2011 that he was fundraising and laying the groundwork to run for re-election, but had yet to make a final decision as to whether he would run again.
District 4
Oregon's 4th congressional districtOregon's 4th congressional district
Oregon's 4th congressional district represents the southern half of Oregon's coastal counties, including Coos, Curry, Douglas, Lane, and Linn counties and most of Benton and Josephine counties...
has been represented by Democrat Peter DeFazio
Peter DeFazio
Peter Anthony DeFazio is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1987. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Eugene, Springfield, Roseburg and part of Corvallis. As Oregon's most senior member of Congress, he is the dean of Oregon's House of Representatives delegation...
since 1987. Art Robinson
Arthur B. Robinson
Arthur B. Robinson is an American scientist and activist. He is the founder, president, and professor of chemistry at the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, which describes itself as a research institute that studies protein chemistry, nutrition, and predictive and preventive medicine...
, who unsuccessfully challenged DeFazio in 2010, will run again.
External links
District 5
Democratic incumbent Kurt SchraderKurt Schrader
Kurt Schrader is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly.-Early life, education, and early career:...
has represented Oregon's 5th congressional district
Oregon's 5th congressional district
Oregon's 5th congressional district represents Oregon's central coast through Salem, north to the southern Portland suburbs, and east to the summit of Mount Hood. It includes Lincoln, Marion, Polk, and Tillamook counties, most of Clackamas County, and part of Benton and Multnomah counties...
since 2008. He is expected to run for re-election in what is widely considered to be the most competitive district in the state. Fred Thompson, a retired timber executive from Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, has announced he will seek the Republican nomination. Thompson sought the nomination in 2010, but was defeated by former state representative Scott Bruun
Scott Bruun
Lorentz Scott Bruun is a Republican politician from the US state of Oregon. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives representing District 37, which encompasses some of the southern suburbs of Portland, Oregon, including part or all of the cities of Durham, Lake Oswego, Rivergrove,...
, who lost to Schrader in the general election. Both Bruun and Chris Dudley
Chris Dudley
Christen Guilford "Chris" Dudley is a retired American basketball player who played 16 years and 886 games in the NBA for five different teams. A journeyman center, he was known primarily for his defensive skill as a rebounder and shot blocker...
, the Republican nominee for Governor in 2010
Oregon gubernatorial election, 2010
The Oregon gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on Tuesday, to elect the Governor of Oregon, who will serve a four-year term to begin on . The incumbent governor, Democrat Ted Kulongoski, was ineligible to run due to term limits barring him from being elected to more than two consecutive...
, have announced they will not run.