- Sen. Ron Wyden is running against Republican Jo Rae Perkins to represent Oregon in the US Senate.
- Wyden has been Congress for more than 40 years overall — and in the US Senate since 1996.
Democratic incumbent Sen. Ron Wyden faces off against Republican Jo Rae Perkins in Oregon to represent the state in the US Senate.
Oregon's Senate race candidates
Wyden, who's served in Congress for more than 40 years, currently chairs the Senate Committee on Finance and is vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation.
He advocates for preserving rural Oregon and has authored laws extending wilderness protections to several areas in the state, including Mt. Hood, Spring Basin, Copper Salmon, and Soda Mountain.
Prior to his time as senator, Wyden represented Oregon's 3rd Congressional District in the House from 1981 until his election to the US Senate in 1996.
Perkins, his challenger, is a business owner who has experience as a real estate agent, personal banker, and insurance agent. She served in various capacities with the Linn County Republican Women and chaired the Linn County Republican Party, of which she is the current delegate.
This is her 4th attempt at running for political office; Perkins previously ran unsuccessfully for election to the US Senate in 2014 and to represent Oregon's 4th Congressional District in 2016 and 2018.
Oregon's voting history
The state voted for Joe Biden over then-President Donald Trump by a margin of 16 percentage points in the 2020 election. Since 1988, Oregonians have always voted for the Democratic presidential candidate.
The money race
According to OpenSecrets, Wyden has raised $13.6 million, spent $12.5 million, and has $4.5 million cash on hand, as of October 19. His challenger, Perkins, has raised $92,347, spent $87,706, and has $30,500 cash on hand, as of October 19.
What experts say
The race between Wyden and Perkins is rated as "solid Democratic" by Inside Elections, "solid Democratic" by The Cook Political Report, and "safe Democratic" by Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.