Splinter Group of Multnomah County Democrats Calls for U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum’s Resignation
This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering the state.
A faction of Multnomah County Democrats proposed a resolution July 30 calling on U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.) to resign her seat and drop out of the November general election.
That’s a bold and surprising move at a time when control of Congress is up for grabs and Bynum, 51, a first-termer, is seeking reelection in what has long been considered Oregon’s most closely contested congressional district.
After serving four terms in the Oregon House, Bynum narrowly defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) in 2024, 47.7% to 45%. (Chavez-DeRemer went on to become U.S. secretary of labor, resigning amid scandal in April.)
In defeating Chavez-DeRemer, Bynum became the first Black politician to represent Oregon in Congress. Since 2024, however, Democrats’ voter registration advantage in the 5th District has narrowed from 4.5% to 3.6%, a 20% drop. This time, Bynum faces two-term …