Published 8:03 pm Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Congressman Cliff Bentz has easily won back his seat in the U.S. House, representing a wide swath of Oregon stretching from Pendleton to the California border.

Early election results released Tuesday show Bentz, R-Ontario, with a commanding 61% of the vote in the Nov. 3 midterm elections for Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District. His opponent, former state lawmaker Chris Beck, had 38.69%

Bentz’s victory was not unexpected. While Oregon is largely seen as a bastion of liberal politics, Republican voters in Bentz’s district outnumber Democrats nearly two-to-one.

Across the country, progressive and liberal candidates were forecast to do well on Tuesday, possibly shaking the balance of power in Republican-held Washington, D.C.

The only Republican member of Oregon’s congressional delegation, Bentz was first elected in 2020 and has served three terms in the Oregon House.

Bentz holds a degree in history and business from Eastern Oregon State College — now Eastern…