2026 United States Senate election in Oregon
The 2026 United States Senate election in Oregon will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Oregon. Primary elections will be held on May 19, 2026. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, who was re-elected with 56.9% of the vote in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesSenateelectioninOregon), is running for a fourth term.
Article
2026 United States Senate election in Oregon
The 2026 United States Senate election in Oregon will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Oregon. Primary elections will be held on May 19, 2026. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, who was re-elected with 56.9% of the vote in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesSenateelectioninOregon), is running for a fourth term.
Background
2026 United States Senate election in Oregon
Oregon is generally considered to be a strongly blue state at the federal and state levels, having not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since (/wiki/2002UnitedStatesSenateelectioninOregon) (or any Republican statewide since (/wiki/2016OregonSecretaryofStateelection)). Democrats control both U.S. Senate seats, all statewide offices, all but one seat in Oregon's U.S. House congressional delegation, and, since January 2025, hold supermajorities in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Merkley was first elected in (/wiki/2008UnitedStatesSenateelectioninOregon) defeating then-incumbent Gordon Smith, and was re-elected twice, in (/wiki/2014UnitedStatesSenateelectioninOregon) and (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesSenateelectioninOregon).
Democratic primary
Declared
• Jeff Merkley, incumbent U.S. senator • Paul D.Wells, retired electical engineer
Declined
• Suzanne Bonamici, U.S. representative from Oregon's 1st congressional district (2012–present) (running for re-election)
Fundraising
<table><thead><tr><th>Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Candidate</td><td>Raised</td><td>Spent</td><td>Cash on hand</td></tr><tr><td>Jeff Merkley (D)</td><td>$6,114,210</td><td>$3,968,072</td><td>$5,951,699</td></tr><tr><td>Source: Federal Election Commission</td></tr></tbody></table>
Republican primary
Declared
• Brent Barker, commercial real estate broker • Deborah C. Brown, retired civil engineer • David Burch, perennial candidate • Russ McAlmond, businessman • Jo Rae Perkins, former chair of the Linn County Republican Party and nominee for the U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2022UnitedStatesSenateelectioninOregon) and (/wiki/2022UnitedStatesSenateelectioninOregon) • Tim Skelton, Scoutmaster and security worker • David Brock Smith, state senator from the 1st district (2023–present)
• Joe Johnson, former candidate for Baker County Commission and Baker City Council • Douglas T. Muck Jr., rancher
General election
Predictions
<table><thead><tr><th>Source</th><th>Ranking</th><th>As of</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Inside Elections</td><td>Solid D</td><td>August 12, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>The Cook Political Report</td><td>Solid D</td><td>October 14, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Sabato's Crystal Ball</td><td>Safe D</td><td>August 12, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Race To The WH</td><td>Safe D</td><td>September 4, 2025</td></tr></tbody></table>