U.S. House, Oregon 5th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Oregon's 5th Congressional District?
Janelle Bynum has the strongest record in Oregon's 5th Congressional District. Janelle Bynum scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Patti Adair at 53, as of October 6, 2026. Janelle Bynum's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Patti Adair's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Andrea Townsend (1 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Patti Adair
53 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Janelle Bynum
On the ballot as Janelle S Bynum
64 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- 75
Pacific Green
Andrea Townsend
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 1 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 25
- Performance
- NR
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.
Patti Adair
- Mark against2023-08-10
The Oregon Elections Division assessed a $229.42 late-filing penalty on her state committee, Friends of Patti Adair, which was paid.
Source: Oregon Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Penalty Notices (data.oregon.gov)
- On the record2026-09
Accepted KTVZ's invitation to an Oct. 14, 2026 televised debate with Rep. Janelle Bynum.
- On the record2019 to 2026
Has served on the three-member Deschutes County Commission since 2019 and is a former chair of the Deschutes County Republican Party.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle via Yahoo News, Nov. 18, 2025
- On the record2018
Won her county commission seat in 2018 by defeating three-term Republican incumbent Tammy Baney in the primary.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle via Yahoo News, Nov. 18, 2025
Janelle Bynum
- Mark against2025-11-26
The Oregon Elections Division assessed a $98.86 late-filing penalty on her state committee, which was paid.
Source: Oregon Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Penalty Notices (data.oregon.gov)
- On the record2026-07-30
A resolution by some Multnomah County Democrats calling for her resignation over her votes failed 147 to 15.
Source: Willamette Week (Oregon Journalism Project), July 31, 2026
- On the record2025-01
Voted for the Laken Riley Act on both House votes in January 2025, against her party leader.
Sources: Clerk of the House, Roll Call 6, Jan. 7, 2025 (Laken Riley Act), Clerk of the House, Roll Call 23, Jan. 22, 2025 (Laken Riley Act)
- Credit2026-07-11
Provisions of her bill on pre-reviewed housing designs, cosponsored by three Republicans, were enacted in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
Source: GovTrack, H.R. 5907
- Credit2025-06 to 2025-08
Held a 10-stop in-person town hall tour in summer 2025 and a town hall in neighboring District 2 on Medicaid cuts.
Andrea Townsend
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Patti Adair. Federal campaign reports are on file with the FEC from November 2025 through June 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine. No ethics finding found. A small state late-filing penalty is scored under criterion 10.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00927228
Janelle Bynum. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine. Her 2025 annual House disclosure was filed Aug. 13, 2026 after an extension; no periodic transaction reports found. No House Ethics matter found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00843425
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Patti Adair. No public record found.
Janelle Bynum. Voted Yea on both January 2025 House votes to pass the Laken Riley Act, which Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed; a July 2026 county party resolution seeking her resignation over such votes failed 147 to 15.
Sources: Clerk of the House, Roll Call 6, Jan. 7, 2025 (Laken Riley Act), Clerk of the House, Roll Call 23, Jan. 22, 2025 (Laken Riley Act), Willamette Week (Oregon Journalism Project), July 31, 2026
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Patti Adair. Accepted KTVZ's Oct. 14, 2026 televised debate with Rep. Bynum; a public candidate forum for the district was scheduled in Redmond.
Janelle Bynum. Held a 10-stop in-person town hall tour in summer 2025, including in a neighboring district, and accepted KTVZ's Oct. 14, 2026 debate with Adair.
Sources: KTVZ, June 28, 2025, East Oregonian, Sept. 5, 2025, KTVZ, debate schedule and candidate responses
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Patti Adair. Deschutes County commissioner since 2019 and a former county Republican chair, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle via Yahoo News, Nov. 18, 2025
Janelle Bynum. Electrical engineer and business owner, state representative from 2017 to 2025 and U.S. representative since 2025, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Janelle Bynum
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Patti Adair. Has held sworn county office since 2019. No misuse-of-office finding and no action to reject certified results found.
Janelle Bynum. Has held sworn state and federal office since 2017. She was not in Congress for the January 2021 electoral count; no misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Janelle Bynum
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Patti Adair. Deschutes County commissioner since 2019, in her second term, representing more than 200,000 residents; earlier an accountant and small business owner.
Sources: OPB (Oregon Capital Chronicle), May 20, 2026, Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement
Janelle Bynum. Served four terms in the Oregon House (2017 to 2025) and has been U.S. representative since January 2025; earlier an electrical engineer and McDonald's franchise owner.
Sources: Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement, Willamette Week (Oregon Journalism Project), July 31, 2026
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Patti Adair. Lists specific proposals, including barring pay for members of Congress during shutdowns, a congressional insider trading ban and required disclosure of data center impacts.
Source: Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement
Janelle Bynum. Serves on the Financial Services Committee's capital markets and housing subcommittees; provisions of her housing design bill were enacted in the July 2026 ROAD to Housing Act.
Sources: GovTrack, Janelle Bynum, GovTrack, H.R. 5907
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Patti Adair. Published a voters' pamphlet statement and campaign positions and accepted a televised debate. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement, Ballotpedia, Patti Adair
Janelle Bynum. Holds in-person and telephone town halls and published a voters' pamphlet statement. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: KTVZ, June 28, 2025, Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement, Ballotpedia, Janelle Bynum
Andrea Townsend. Chose not to submit a 2026 voters' pamphlet statement; no campaign website, questionnaire answers or published positions were found.
Source: Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, List of Candidates
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Patti Adair. Grew up in Heppner and has lived near Sisters, in the district, since moving from California in 2014. About 82 percent of itemized contributions by state came from Oregon (FEC).
Janelle Bynum. Lives in Happy Valley, in the district. About 28 percent of itemized contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Oregon (FEC by-state totals).
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Patti Adair. The Oregon Elections Division assessed a $229.42 late-filing penalty on her state committee in August 2023, paid. No FEC administrative fine on her federal committee.
Sources: Oregon Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Penalty Notices (data.oregon.gov), FEC administrative fines search, committee C00927228
Janelle Bynum. The Oregon Elections Division assessed a $98.86 late-filing penalty on her state committee in November 2025, paid. No FEC administrative fine on her federal committee.
Sources: Oregon Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Penalty Notices (data.oregon.gov), FEC administrative fines search, committee C00843425
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Patti Adair. No public record found.
Janelle Bynum. Provisions of her bill on pre-reviewed housing designs were incorporated into the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, enacted July 11, 2026. No Center for Effective Lawmaking score yet for her first Congress.
Sources: GovTrack, H.R. 5907, GovTrack, Janelle Bynum
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Patti Adair. No public record found.
Janelle Bynum. Missed 2 of 676 roll call votes, 0.3 percent, from January 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Patti Adair. No public record found.
Janelle Bynum. Keeps an Oregon City district office and held a 10-stop town hall tour plus telephone town halls in 2025. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office of Rep. Bynum, home page, KTVZ, June 28, 2025
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Patti Adair. No public record found.
Janelle Bynum. Her enacted housing design bill had three Republican cosponsors. She is not in the Lugar Center's latest posted House scores (2023), which predate her term.
Source: GovTrack, H.R. 5907
Andrea Townsend. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Patti Adair. No public record found.
Janelle Bynum. No public record found.
Andrea Townsend. 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 5th Congressional District?
Janelle Bynum has the strongest record in Oregon's 5th Congressional District. Janelle Bynum scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Patti Adair at 53, as of October 6, 2026. Janelle Bynum's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Patti Adair's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Andrea Townsend (1 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Oregon's 5th Congressional District in 2026?
Patti Adair (Republican), Janelle Bynum (Democratic, incumbent), Andrea Townsend (Pacific Green). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Patti Adair a good candidate for Congress?
Patti Adair scores 53 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 55 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Janelle Bynum a good candidate for Congress?
Janelle Bynum scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Andrea Townsend a good candidate for Congress?
Andrea Townsend has public evidence on 1 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
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.