U.S. House, Oregon 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Oregon's 2nd Congressional District?
Cliff Bentz has the strongest record in Oregon's 2nd Congressional District. Cliff Bentz scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Chris Beck at 60, as of October 6, 2026. Cliff Bentz's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Chris Beck's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Chris Beck
60 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Cliff Bentz
63 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 42
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 63
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Chris Beck
- On the record2026-09
Accepted KTVZ's invitation to an Oct. 21, 2026 televised debate that Rep. Cliff Bentz declined.
- On the record2026-04-20
Took part in person in the Umatilla County Democrats' April 2026 primary candidate forum in Pendleton.
Source: East Oregonian, April 23, 2026
- On the record1997 to 2016
Served three terms in the Oregon House from 1997 to 2003, then six years as a USDA rural economic development policy adviser.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle via Yahoo News, May 19, 2026
Cliff Bentz
- On the record2026-09
Declined KTVZ's invitation to an Oct. 21, 2026 televised debate with Democrat Chris Beck.
- On the record2025-02 to 2025-09
Stopped holding in-person town halls after four February 2025 meetings, citing disruptions, and switched to telephone town halls and small-group meetings.
- On the record2023
Scored -1.52795 on the Lugar Center Bipartisan Index for 2023, ranked 408 of 436 House members.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
- On the record2021-01-06 to 2021-01-07
Voted Nay on the House objection to Arizona's certified electors and Yea on the objection to Pennsylvania's certified electors, days after taking office.
Sources: Clerk of the House, Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, Clerk of the House, Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021
- Credit2024
Sponsored the Klamath Basin Water Agreement Support Act of 2024 and the GAO Database Modernization Act of 2024, both enacted.
Source: GovTrack, Cliff Bentz
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Chris Beck. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine. No official finding found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00940791
Cliff Bentz. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine. His 2025 and 2026 periodic transaction reports were filed within 45 days of the trades. No House Ethics matter found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20030646, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20034524
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Chris Beck. No public record found.
Cliff Bentz. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Chris Beck. Took part in an April 2026 candidate forum in Pendleton and accepted KTVZ's Oct. 21, 2026 debate invitation, which Bentz declined.
Sources: East Oregonian, April 23, 2026, KTVZ, debate schedule and candidate responses
Cliff Bentz. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Chris Beck. State representative, legislative and city staff member, and USDA rural policy adviser with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle via Yahoo News, May 19, 2026
Cliff Bentz. Oregon Water Resources Commission chair, state representative from 2008, state senator and U.S. representative since 2021, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Cliff Bentz
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Chris Beck. Served sworn terms in the Oregon House from 1997 to 2003 and later in federal service at USDA. No misuse-of-office finding and no action to reject certified results found.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle via Yahoo News, May 19, 2026
Cliff Bentz. Voted Yea on the Jan. 7, 2021 objection to Pennsylvania's certified electors (Roll Call 11) and Nay on the Arizona objection (Roll Call 10).
Sources: Clerk of the House, Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, Clerk of the House, Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Chris Beck. Served three terms in the Oregon House (1997 to 2003), then six years as a USDA rural policy adviser; earlier 14 years with the Trust for Public Land.
Sources: Oregon Capital Chronicle via Yahoo News, May 19, 2026, Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement
Cliff Bentz. U.S. representative since January 2021, seeking a fourth term; earlier in the Oregon House (2008 to 2018) and Oregon Senate (2018 to 2020).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Cliff Bentz, Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Chris Beck. Lists specific proposals, including a rural service corps in each county, pausing new data center construction and expanding vote-by-mail nationwide.
Source: Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement
Cliff Bentz. Serves on the Energy and Commerce and Natural Resources committees, including the Water, Wildlife and Fisheries subcommittee, and lists specific water, dam and timber goals. Two bills he sponsored were enacted in 2024.
Sources: GovTrack, Cliff Bentz, Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Chris Beck. Published a voters' pamphlet statement and district issue pages, took part in a candidate forum and has given newspaper interviews on his positions.
Sources: Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement, East Oregonian (Hermiston Herald), Sept. 11, 2026, East Oregonian, April 23, 2026
Cliff Bentz. Publishes a regular newsletter, holds telephone town halls and published a voters' pamphlet statement. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office of Rep. Bentz, home page, KTVZ, Sept. 8, 2025, Ballotpedia, Cliff Bentz
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Chris Beck. A lifelong Oregonian from the Portland area who now lists his address in Phoenix, in the district. About 68 percent of itemized individual contributions by state came from Oregon (FEC).
Cliff Bentz. A third-generation Oregonian raised on family cattle ranches in Harney County, in the district, who practiced law in Ontario. About 68 percent of itemized individual contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Oregon (FEC).
Source: Office of Rep. Bentz, home page
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Chris Beck. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00940791
Cliff Bentz. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00725465
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Chris Beck. No public record found.
Cliff Bentz. Center for Effective Lawmaking rates him Meets Expectations for the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 of 1.029 against a benchmark of 1.460). Two bills he sponsored were enacted in 2024, including the Klamath Basin Water Agreement Support Act.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, Center for Effective Lawmaking, data download page, GovTrack, Cliff Bentz
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Chris Beck. No public record found.
Cliff Bentz. Missed 14 of 2,915 roll call votes, 0.5 percent, from January 2021 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Chris Beck. No public record found.
Cliff Bentz. Keeps district offices in Medford and Ontario and offers help with federal agencies and telephone town halls. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office of Rep. Bentz, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Chris Beck. Lists the endorsement of a Republican former Union County commissioner, alongside Democratic and nonpartisan backers.
Source: Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement
Cliff Bentz. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.52795 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 408 of 436, in the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Chris Beck. No public record found.
Cliff Bentz. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Oregon's 2nd Congressional District?
Cliff Bentz has the strongest record in Oregon's 2nd Congressional District. Cliff Bentz scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Chris Beck at 60, as of October 6, 2026. Cliff Bentz's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Chris Beck's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Oregon's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Chris Beck (Democratic), Cliff Bentz (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Chris Beck a good candidate for Congress?
Chris Beck scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Cliff Bentz a good candidate for Congress?
Cliff Bentz scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 42 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Oregon race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Oregon 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.