The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the five
U.S. representatives from the state of
Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
,
apportioned according to the
2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial
presidential election
A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President.
Elections by country
Albania
The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public.
Chile
The p ...
. All five incumbents, four Democrats and one Republican, were re-elected to another term.
Primary election
Primary elections or primaries are elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election. In a partisan primary, a political party selects a candidate. Depending on the state and/or party, there may be an "open pr ...
s for
Democrats and
Republicans
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
were held on May 15, 2012; other parties had other nominating procedures. Several candidates received nominations for multiple parties, as permitted by Oregon law.
Overview
Redistricting
On June 29, 2011, members of the
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the State legislature (United States), state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper house, upper and lower chamber: the Oregon State Senate, Sena ...
reached an agreement on
redistricting
Redistricting in the United States is the process of drawing electoral district boundaries. For the United States House of Representatives, and state legislatures, redistricting occurs after each ten-year census.
The U.S. Constitution in Art ...
all five of
Oregon's congressional districts
The U.S. state of Oregon has had six United States congressional districts since 2023, when the 6th district was created as a result of the 2020 census. The 5th district was added as a result of the 1980 census, and boundaries were redrawn follo ...
, as required by population changes from the
2010 census. Among other changes,
Downtown Portland
Downtown Portland is the central business district of Portland, Oregon, United States. It is on the west bank of the Willamette River in the northeastern corner of the southwest section of the city and where most of the city's high-rise buildi ...
was moved from District 1 to District 3; District 2 ceded more of the
Grants Pass
Grants Pass is a city in and the county seat of Josephine County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on Interstate 5 in Oregon, Interstate 5, northwest of Medford, Oregon, Medford, along the Rogue River (Oregon), Rogue River. The populatio ...
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 district
Oregon's 1st congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S state of Oregon. The district stretches from Portland's western suburbs and exurbs, to parts of the Oregon coast. The district includes the principal cities of ...
is represented by Democrat
Suzanne Bonamici
Suzanne Marie Bonamici ( ; born October 14, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Oregon's 1st congressional district, a seat she was first elected to in a 2012 Oregon's 1st congressional district speci ...
, the winner of a January 2012
special election
A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections.
A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...
held after Representative
David Wu
David Wu (born April 8, 1955) is an American politician who served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party.
Wu was born ...
resigned following allegations of an unwanted sexual encounter following the resolution of the
2011 U.S. debt ceiling crisis.
[
] The district has a
PVI of D+6.
Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*
Suzanne Bonamici
Suzanne Marie Bonamici ( ; born October 14, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Oregon's 1st congressional district, a seat she was first elected to in a 2012 Oregon's 1st congressional district speci ...
, incumbent U.S. Representative
=Declined
=
*
Brad Avakian
Brad Peter Avakian (born February 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as a Democrat in the Oregon House, the Oregon Senate, and as the state's nonpartisan elected Labor Commissioner.
He was appointed Labor Commissioner by Governor Te ...
, state
Commissioner of Labor and Industries and candidate for this seat in
2012 (special)
*
Ryan Deckert, former state senator
*
Elizabeth Furse
Elizabeth Furse (October 13, 1936 – April 18, 2021) was a Kenya Colony-born American small business owner and former faculty member of Portland State University. She was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 1999 ...
, former U.S. Representative
*
Greg Macpherson
Gregory Hector Macpherson (born May 3, 1950) is a Democratic politician in the US state of Oregon. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the state representative from District 38, which includes most of Lake Oswego and portions of southwestern Por ...
, former
state representative
A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system.
Two federations literally use the term "state legislature":
* The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United St ...
*
Dan Saltzman
Dan Saltzman (born 1953/54) is a politician in the U.S. state of Oregon who served as a commissioner (city councilman) on the City Council of Portland in Portland, Oregon, from 1999 through the end of 2018. He was the second longest serving comm ...
,
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
*Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon
*Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine
*Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel
Portland may also r ...
city commissioner
City commission government is a form of local government in the United States. In a city commission government, voters elect a small commission, typically of five to seven members, typically on a plurality-at-large voting basis.
These commissio ...
*
Brad Witt
Bradley Witt (born 1952) is an American Democratic politician who served in the Oregon House of Representatives for District 31 from 2005 to 2023, representing most of Columbia and parts of Clatsop and Multnomah counties.
Witt was a candida ...
, state representative and candidate for this seat in
2012 (special)
Primary results
Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*Delinda Morgan, vineyard owner
[
]
=Eliminated in primary
=
*Lisa Michaels, activist, cable host and candidate for this seat in 2012 (special)[
]
=Declined
=
*Rob Cornilles, sports marketing consultant and nominee for this seat in 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
& 2012 (special)
*Rob Miller, businessman
*Bruce Starr
Bruce Starr (born January 12, 1969) is an American politician and businessman in Oregon. He currently serves in the Oregon State Senate, Oregon Senate representing District 12 since 2025. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republi ...
state senator
Results
General election
Results
District 2
Republican Greg Walden
Gregory Paul Walden (born January 10, 1957) is an American politician who served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2021. He is a Republican Party (United States), Republican. Walden is the son of ...
has represented Oregon's 2nd congressional district
Oregon's 2nd congressional district is the largest of Oregon's Oregon's congressional districts, six districts, and is the List of United States congressional districts, seventh largest district in the nation. It is the second-largest congressi ...
since 1998 and is seeking re-election.[ The district has a PVI of R+10.
]
Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*Greg Walden
Gregory Paul Walden (born January 10, 1957) is an American politician who served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2021. He is a Republican Party (United States), Republican. Walden is the son of ...
, incumbent U.S. Representative[
]
Primary results
Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*Joyce Segers, businesswoman, writer and nominee for this seat in 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
[
]
=Eliminated in primary
=
*John Sweeney, activist[
]
Results
General election
Results
District 3
Democrat Earl Blumenauer
Earl Francis Blumenauer ( ; born August 16, 1948) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 1996 to 2025. The district includes most of Portland, Oregon, ...
has represented Oregon's 3rd congressional district
Oregon's 3rd congressional district covers most of Multnomah County, including Gresham, Troutdale, and most of Portland east of the Willamette River (parts of Northwest and Southwest Portland lie in the 1st and 5th districts). It also in ...
since 1996 and is seeking re-election.[ The district is the most Democratic-leaning district in the state, with a PVI of D+21.
]
Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
* Earl Blumenauer
Earl Francis Blumenauer ( ; born August 16, 1948) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 1996 to 2025. The district includes most of Portland, Oregon, ...
, incumbent U.S. Representative[
]
Primary results
Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*Ronald Green, bus operator[
]
=Eliminated in primary
=
*Delia Lopez, real estate investor[
]
Results
General election
Results
District 4
Oregon's 4th congressional district
Oregon's 4th congressional district represents the southern half of Oregon's coastal counties, including Coos County, Oregon, Coos, Curry County, Oregon, Curry, Lincoln County, Oregon, Lincoln, Lane County, Oregon, Lane, and Benton County, Or ...
has been represented by Democrat Peter DeFazio
Peter Anthony DeFazio ( ; born May 27, 1947) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1987 to 2023. He is a member of the Democratic Party and is a founder of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. A native of Mas ...
since 1987 and he is seeking re-election.[ The district has a PVI of D+2.
]
Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
* Peter DeFazio
Peter Anthony DeFazio ( ; born May 27, 1947) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1987 to 2023. He is a member of the Democratic Party and is a founder of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. A native of Mas ...
, incumbent U.S. Representative[
]
=Eliminated in primary
=
* Matthew Robinson, nuclear engineering graduate student and son of Arthur B. Robinson[
]
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
* Arthur B. Robinson, chemist and nominee for this seat in 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
[
]
Results
General election
Endorsements
Results
District 5
Democratic incumbent Kurt Schrader
Walter Kurt Schrader (born October 19, 1951) is an American politician and veterinarian who served as the U.S. representative for from 2009 to 2023. His district covered most of Oregon's central coast, plus Salem, and many of Portland's south ...
has represented Oregon's 5th congressional district
Oregon's 5th congressional district stretches from the Southeast corner of Portland through the eastern half of the Willamette Valley and then reaches across the Cascades to take in Sisters and Bend. It includes a sliver of Multnomah County, ...
since 2008 and is running for re-election in what is often considered to be the most competitive district in the state.[ In fact, the district has an even PVI.
]
Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
* Kurt Schrader
Walter Kurt Schrader (born October 19, 1951) is an American politician and veterinarian who served as the U.S. representative for from 2009 to 2023. His district covered most of Oregon's central coast, plus Salem, and many of Portland's south ...
, incumbent U.S. Representative[
]
Primary results
Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*Fred Thompson, retired timber executive and candidate for this seat in 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
[
]
=Eliminated in primary
=
*Karen Bowerman, business consultant and retired college administrator[
]
=Declined
=
* Scott Bruun, former state representative and nominee for this seat in 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
*Chris Dudley
Christen Guilford Dudley (born February 22, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player and politician. He played 886 games across 16 seasons in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, New Yo ...
, former professional basketball player and nominee for governor in 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
Results
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
Results
See also
* Oregon's 1st congressional district special election, 2012
* United States House of Representatives elections, 2012
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
* United States presidential election in Oregon, 2012
* Oregon state elections, 2012
On November 6, 2012, the U.S. state of Oregon held statewide general elections for four statewide offices ( secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, and commissioner of labor), both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and sever ...
References
External links
Elections Division
at the Oregon Secretary of State
United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2012
at Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...
Oregon U.S. House
from OurCampaigns.com
Campaign contributions for U.S. Congressional races in Oregon
from OpenSecrets
OpenSecrets is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying, including a revolving door database which documents the individuals who have worked in both the public sector an ...
Outside spending
at the Sunlight Foundation
The Sunlight Foundation was an American 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advocated for open government. The organization was founded in April 2006 with the goal of increasing transparency and accountability in the United States ...
{{United States elections, 2012
2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
House
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...