United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2006
Encyclopedia
The United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2006 were held on November 7, 2006 to select Oregon's representatives to the United States House of Representatives
. All five seats were up for election in 2006, as they are every two years. All five incumbents were re-elected, four of them by large margins; only the 5th district was somewhat competitive.
has represented this liberal-leaning district based in northwestern Oregon and part of Portland
. This year, Congressman Wu, seeking his fourth term, crushed Republican candidate Derrick Kitts in the general election to win another term in Congress.
-based district, which is one of the largest districts in the country, incumbent Republican Congressman Greg Walden
ran for a fourth term. Democratic candidate Carol Voisin, a professor at Southern Oregon University
, faced uphill odds against Walden, and ultimately, she was defeated in a landslide election, along with Constitution Party candidate Jack Brown.
, who has served in Congress since previous Congressman Ron Wyden
was elected to the Senate
in 1996, sought a sixth term in this staunchly liberal district based in Portland
and its suburbs in Clackamas County
. Blumenauer was challenged by Republican Earl Broussard and Constitution Party candidate David Brownlow. As expected, Blumenauer was elected to another term by the largest margin of victory of any Oregon Congressman.
coastline of Oregon and including Eugene
, Springfield
, and Coos Bay
, has the potential for competitive elections. However, incumbent Democratic Congressman Peter DeFazio
has represented the district for twenty years and has built up a repertoire among its denizens. Seeking an eleventh term, DeFazio crushed Republican opponent Jim Feldkamp to win.
, southern suburbs of Portland, some of the northern Pacific
coast, and the state's capital, Salem
. Congresswoman Darlene Hooley
ran for a sixth term against businessman and former State House
candidate Mike Erickson
. In the closest election in Oregon that year, Hooley defeated Erickson by a fairly comfortable margin to serve her final term in Washington.
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...
. All five seats were up for election in 2006, as they are every two years. All five incumbents were re-elected, four of them by large margins; only the 5th district was somewhat competitive.
Overview
| United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon, 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 765,853 | 56.42% | 4 | — | |
| Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
557,491 | 41.07% | 1 | — | |
| Independents | 34,090 | 2.51% | 0 | — | |
| Totals | 1,357,434 | 100.00% | 2 | — | |
District 1
Incumbent Democratic Congressman David WuDavid 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...
has represented this liberal-leaning district based in northwestern Oregon and part of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. This year, Congressman Wu, seeking his fourth term, crushed Republican candidate Derrick Kitts in the general election to win another term in Congress.
District 2
In this heavily conservative, eastern OregonEastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity, thus the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost counties in the state; in other contexts, it includes...
-based district, which is one of the largest districts in the country, incumbent Republican Congressman Greg Walden
Greg 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...
ran for a fourth term. Democratic candidate Carol Voisin, a professor at Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University
is a public liberal arts college located in Ashland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1926, it was formerly known as Southern Oregon College and Southern Oregon State College . SOU offers criminology, natural sciences, including environmental science, Shakespearean studies and theatre arts programs...
, faced uphill odds against Walden, and ultimately, she was defeated in a landslide election, along with Constitution Party candidate Jack Brown.
District 3
Democratic Congressman 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 served in Congress since previous Congressman Ron Wyden
Ron Wyden
Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden is the senior U.S. Senator for Oregon, serving since 1996, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996....
was elected to the Senate
United States Senate special election in Oregon, 1996
The 1996 United States Senate special election in Oregon was held on January 30, 1996 to fill the seat vacated by Republican Bob Packwood, who resigned from the Senate due to sexual misconduct allegations. Democrat Ron Wyden won the open seat. Smith would win election to the Senate later that year...
in 1996, sought a sixth term in this staunchly liberal district based in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and its suburbs in Clackamas County
Clackamas County, Oregon
Clackamas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. As of 2010, the population was 375,992...
. Blumenauer was challenged by Republican Earl Broussard and Constitution Party candidate David Brownlow. As expected, Blumenauer was elected to another term by the largest margin of victory of any Oregon Congressman.
District 4
This liberal-leaning district, based in the southern PacificPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coastline of Oregon and including Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, Springfield
Springfield, Oregon
Springfield is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Located in the Southern Willamette Valley, it is within the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. Separated from Eugene to the west, mainly by Interstate 5, Springfield is the second-most populous city in the metropolitan area...
, and Coos Bay
Coos Bay, Oregon
Coos Bay is a city located in Coos County, Oregon, United States, where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city borders the city of North Bend, and together they are often referred to as one entity called either Coos Bay-North Bend or the Bay Area...
, has the potential for competitive elections. However, incumbent Democratic Congressman 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...
has represented the district for twenty years and has built up a repertoire among its denizens. Seeking an eleventh term, DeFazio crushed Republican opponent Jim Feldkamp to win.
District 5
This district, the most moderate in Oregon, covers portions of PortlandPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, southern suburbs of Portland, some of the northern Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast, and the state's capital, 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...
. Congresswoman Darlene Hooley
Darlene Hooley
Darlene Kay Olson Hooley is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon who represented the state's . A native of North Dakota, she spent eight years teaching high school before entering politics when she was elected to the West Linn, Oregon city council in 1975...
ran for a sixth term against businessman and former State House
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
candidate Mike Erickson
Mike Erickson
Mike Erickson is a businessman and politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. He ran unsuccessfully for two different seats in the Oregon House of Representatives in 1988 and 1992, and was the Republican nominee for the United States House of Representatives in Oregon's 5th congressional district in...
. In the closest election in Oregon that year, Hooley defeated Erickson by a fairly comfortable margin to serve her final term in Washington.