2026 United States Senate election in Oregon
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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. Democratic incumbent Jeff Merkley is seeking a fourth term.[1] He is being challenged by Republican state senator David Brock Smith.[2]
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November 3, 2026
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In the Democratic primary, Merkley was nominated with 93.2% of the vote against minimal opposition. Smith won the Republican nomination with 29.5% of the vote over former Linn County party chair Jo Rae Perkins and real estate broker Brent Barker. Republicans have not won a Senate election in Oregon since 2002.
Background
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 (or any Republican statewide since 2016).[citation needed] 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.[3] Merkley was first elected in 2008 defeating then-incumbent Gordon Smith, and was re-elected twice, in 2014 and 2020.[4]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jeff Merkley, incumbent U.S. senator[5]
Eliminated in primary
Declined
- Suzanne Bonamici, U.S. representative from Oregon's 1st congressional district (2012–present) (running for re-election)[7]
Endorsements
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of March 31, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Jeff Merkley (D) | $7,150,950 | $4,376,333 | $6,580,178 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[19] | |||
Results
- 70–80%
- 80–90%
- 90–100%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jeff Merkley (incumbent) | 457,006 | 93.2 | |
| Democratic | Paul D. Wells | 30,544 | 6.2 | |
| Democratic | Write-in | 2,907 | 0.6 | |
| Total votes | 490,457 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- David Brock Smith, state senator from the 1st district (2023–present)[21]
Eliminated in primary
- Brent Barker, commercial real estate broker[5]
- Deborah C. Brown, retired civil engineer[5]
- David Burch, perennial candidate[5]
- Russ McAlmond, businessman[6][5]
- Jo Rae Perkins, former chair of the Linn County Republican Party and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2020 and 2022[22][5]
- Tim Skelton, Scoutmaster and security worker[23][24]
Did Not File
- Joe Johnson, former candidate for Baker County Commission and Baker City Council[6][25]
- Douglas T. Muck Jr., rancher[6][25]
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of March 31, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| David Smith (R) | $24,083 | $288 | $23,795 |
| Jo Rae Perkins (R) | $5,185 | $7,328 | $1,056 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[19] | |||
Results
- 20–30%
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 60–70%
- 20–30%
- 30–40%
- 20–30%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | David Brock Smith | 107,953 | 29.5 | |
| Republican | Jo Rae Perkins | 99,278 | 27.1 | |
| Republican | Brent Barker | 85,229 | 23.3 | |
| Republican | Russ McAlmond | 42,136 | 11.5 | |
| Republican | Deborah C. Brown | 14,021 | 3.8 | |
| Republican | David Burch | 8,704 | 2.4 | |
| Republican | Tim Skelton | 5,626 | 1.5 | |
| Republican | Write-in | 3,254 | 0.9 | |
| Total votes | 366,201 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Elections[26] | Solid D | April 23, 2026 |
| Race To The WH[27] | Safe D | May 22, 2026 |
| RealClearPolitics[28] | Solid D | May 19, 2026 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[29] | Safe D | March 4, 2026 |
| The Cook Political Report[30] | Solid D | April 13, 2026 |
| The Economist[31][a] | Safe D | May 22, 2026 |
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of May 25, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Jeff Merkley (D) | $7,297,473 | $4,617,386 | $6,485,649 |
| David Brock Smith (R) | $48,166 | $16,108 | $32,058 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[32] | |||
Notes
- The Economist's prediction model uses unconventional terminology. For the purpose of equivalency, their "Very Likely" ratings are formatted as a "Likely" rating while "Likely" ratings are formatted as a "Lean" rating.