Who is Lori Chavez-DeRemer?

Lori Chavez-DeRemer is a Republican politician from Oregon who won the OR-5 congressional seat in a 2022 upset. In 2025, President Trump nominated and the Senate confirmed her as U.S. Secretary of Labor, which required her to resign from Congress. This left OR-5 as an open seat heading into 2026.

Why is OR-5 an open seat in 2026?

OR-5 became an open seat because Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer was confirmed as Secretary of Labor in early 2025 and left Congress to serve in Trump's cabinet. This created a special election or open-seat race in a district that leans slightly toward Democrats, making it a prime Democratic pickup opportunity in 2026.

How competitive is OR-5?

Oregon's 5th district covers the southern Portland suburbs, Salem area, and parts of the Willamette Valley. It leans slightly Democratic in most cycles but Chavez-DeRemer won it in 2022 with a strong candidate profile. Without an incumbent, the seat is expected to be highly competitive in 2026, with Democrats favored to recapture it.

Lori Chavez-DeRemer

Sec. of Labor (fmr. OR-5 Rep.) Rep. 2023–2025 Secretary of Labor, 2025– OR-5 Open Seat — D Pickup Target

Open

OR-5 Seat Status 2026

2025

Confirmed Sec. of Labor

2022

Won OR-5 upset

Toss-Up

2026 Seat Rating

Key Findings

Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) was appointed Secretary of Labor by President Trump in 2025 after winning Oregon's 5th Congressional District in 2022 and losing re-election in 2024.
As Labor Secretary, she oversees the Department of Labor's 15,000+ employees, wage and hour enforcement, unemployment insurance, and OSHA workplace safety regulations.
She was notable as one of the few House Republicans to support the PRO Act (union organizing reform) during her congressional tenure, reflecting OR-5's more labor-friendly suburban districts.
Her appointment was backed by major labor unions including the Teamsters, who saw her labor-friendly record as a positive signal for worker interests in the Trump administration.

Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Secretary of Labor and former Oregon Republican congresswoman — Lori Chavez-DeRemer went from Congress to Trump's Cabinet, leaving Oregon's OR-5 as a competitive open seat. The House 2026 battle will be shaped in part by seats like this one. | USPollingData

Career Timeline

Year	Event
1968	Born in Roseburg, Oregon; grew up in the Willamette Valley region
1990s	Business career in Happy Valley, Oregon area (Clackamas County)
2018	Elected Mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon; first elected office
2020	Ran for OR-5 and lost to Democratic incumbent Kurt Schrader in primary? No — ran in general election
2022	Won OR-5 Republican primary; defeated incumbent Democrat Kurt Schrader in general election — a major upset in a D-leaning district
2023	Sworn into 118th Congress; notable for being one of only a few House Republicans to support PRO Act (union bill)
2024	Nominated by President-elect Trump to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor; unusual pick given her pro-labor record
2025	Confirmed by Senate as Secretary of Labor; resigns from House, leaving OR-5 vacant
2026	OR-5 open seat race; Democrats target as pickup opportunity in competitive suburban Oregon district

Policy Positions

Issue	Position	Key Action
Labor/Unions	Unusual R pro-labor stance	One of very few House Republicans to support PRO Act (union organizing protection); reason Trump picked her for Labor
Economy	Pro-worker R	Supported higher wages and worker protections while opposing Democratic regulatory agenda
Immigration	Conservative	Supported stronger border enforcement; aligned with Republican mainstream on border policy
Healthcare	Repeal/replace ACA	Voted with Republican caucus on healthcare; supported market-based alternatives
Agriculture	Oregon farming interests	Willamette Valley agriculture; supported farm subsidies, rural economic policies
Bipartisanship	Moderate R profile	Willingness to work across aisle on select labor issues set her apart from House Republican conference

Background

Happy Valley Mayor to Congress to Cabinet

Lori Chavez-DeRemer grew up in Oregon and entered politics as Mayor of Happy Valley in Clackamas County. Her 2022 win over incumbent Democratic Rep. Kurt Schrader was a notable upset in a district that had leaned Democratic. She distinguished herself in Congress as one of the very few House Republicans to support the PRO Act, a major union-rights bill — an unusual stance that made her attractive to Trump as a Labor Secretary pick who could appeal to union households while serving a Republican administration.

OR-5 District

Suburban Portland to Salem — Competitive Terrain

OR-5 covers the southern Portland suburbs (Clackamas County), portions of the Willamette Valley, and reaches toward Salem. The district has suburban, rural, and small-city populations. It voted narrowly for Biden in 2020 and has elected both parties. Without Chavez-DeRemer's incumbent advantage, it reverts to a pure toss-up, with Democrats considering it a top-priority pickup opportunity to help reclaim the House majority.

Secretary of Labor

Trump’s Unusual Labor Pick

Trump's selection of Chavez-DeRemer as Labor Secretary surprised many political observers given her pro-union record — see Trump approval polling for working-class trends. The pick was seen as an attempt to appeal to working-class voters who had shifted toward Trump, particularly in union-heavy industrial states. Her Senate confirmation required bipartisan support. As Secretary, she oversees OSHA, wage enforcement, and federal labor relations. Her departure created an important House 2026 open seat. Track the generic ballot for the national environment shaping that race.

Electoral History

Year	Race	Result	Margin
2026	OR-5 OPEN SEAT (Chavez-DeRemer left for cabinet)	Competitive open seat race — D pickup target	Toss-Up
2022	OR-5 vs Kurt Schrader (D, incumbent)	Chavez-DeRemer 50.7% — Janelle Bynum (D) 49.3%	R +1.4
2018	Happy Valley Mayor re-election	Won re-election as Mayor of Happy Valley, OR	Uncontested