Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader appears headed for the Democratic nomination as he seeks a seventh term in the U.S. House representing the state's 5th Congressional District.
In early returns, he held a commanding lead with almost 70% of the vote over Milwaukie Mayor Mark Gamba.
Amy Ryan Courser was ahead in the Republican primary.
The 5th Congressional District’s oddly-shaped boundaries encompass an area east of Interstate 5 to the Warm Springs reservation, part of the I-5 corridor between Portland and Albany, and a stretch of the Oregon Coast from around Manzanita to Yachats.
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In Schrader’s run for a seventh term in Congress, his platform highlights advocacy for universal health care, fighting climate change, increasing funding for various education programs and overhauling immigration law to protect undocumented residents brought to the U.S. as children.
The incumbent has one of the most conservative voting records of any Democrat in the U.S. House. He’s a member of the centrist Blue Dog Democrats, serving currently as the chair of the Blue Dog PAC.
Schrader drew a Democratic primary challenge from the left in Gamba. As mayor of Milwaukie, Gamba’s goals included a higher minimum wage and measures to counter climate change. His congressional platform includes action against climate change and support for the Green New Deal.
Also on the ballot is Blair G. Reynolds, who identifies himself as an entrepreneur and military veteran. His platform includes universal basic income, universal health care and changes to national politics, including mandatory mail-in ballots.
Republican candidates for the 5th Congressional District nomination included Courser, a former Keizer City Council member. Her stated positions include opposition to abortion rights, support for securing the border and affordable health care.
G. Shane Dinkel, also seeking the Republican nomination, identifies himself as a fourth-generation Oregonian and a veteran of the U.S. Army who served in Iraq. He supports congressional term limits and the 2nd Amendment. Dinkel vowed to handle all veterans’ inquiries personally if elected.
Two others on the ballot, but not listed in the voters’ pamphlet, are Angela Roman, a small businesswoman who has been involved in the militia movement; and Joey Nations, a tax analyst for the state who unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination two years ago.