U.S. House, Oregon 6th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Oregon's 6th Congressional District?
Andrea Salinas has the strongest record in Oregon's 6th Congressional District. Andrea Salinas scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of David Russ at 53, as of October 6, 2026. Andrea Salinas's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. David Russ's highest marks are relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
David Russ
53 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Andrea Salinas
69 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 75
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.
David Russ
- On the record2024
Serves as mayor of Dundee in Yamhill County, after serving on its city council.
Source: OPB, May 7, 2024
- On the record2024-05
Debated Mike Erickson on OPB in the 2024 Republican primary for the 6th District, which Erickson won.
Source: OPB, May 7, 2024
Andrea Salinas
- Mark against2023-11-20
The Oregon Elections Division assessed a $103.75 late-filing penalty on her state committee, which was paid.
Source: Oregon Secretary of State, Campaign Finance Penalty Notices (data.oregon.gov)
- On the record2023
Scored -0.47132 on the Lugar Center Bipartisan Index for 2023, ranked 222 of 436 House members.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
- Credit2026-08-06
Held an open town hall at Newberg High School in August 2026 as part of a series of in-person and remote town halls.
Source: Newberg Graphic, Aug. 11, 2026
- Credit2023 to 2024
Sponsored the Grand Ronde Reservation Act Amendment of 2023, which was enacted; CEL rated her Meets Expectations for the 118th Congress.
Source: GovTrack, Andrea Salinas
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
David Russ. 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 C00763946
Andrea Salinas. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine. Her 2025 annual House disclosure was filed May 7, 2026; no periodic transaction reports and no House Ethics matter found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00793703
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
David Russ. No public record found.
Andrea Salinas. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
David Russ. No public record found.
Andrea Salinas. Holds a series of in-person and remote town halls, including an Aug. 6, 2026 town hall at Newberg High School.
Source: Newberg Graphic, Aug. 11, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
David Russ. City councilor and mayor of Dundee and a small business owner, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: OPB, May 7, 2024
Andrea Salinas. Legislative staff member and advocate, state representative from 2017 to 2023 and U.S. representative since 2023, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Andrea Salinas
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
David Russ. Has held sworn city office in Dundee as councilor and mayor. No misuse-of-office finding and no action to reject certified results found.
Source: Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement
Andrea Salinas. 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, Andrea Salinas
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
David Russ. Mayor and former city councilor of Dundee, an accountant and real estate consultant, with a career in manufacturing, retail and farming.
Sources: OPB, May 7, 2024, Ballotpedia, David Russ
Andrea Salinas. U.S. representative since January 2023, seeking a third term; earlier represented the 38th District in the Oregon House.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Andrea Salinas, Wikipedia, Andrea Salinas
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
David Russ. Publishes priorities such as returning federal public lands to state and local control and ending agency rulemaking without legislative approval, mostly in general terms.
Sources: David Russ for Congress, home page, Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement
Andrea Salinas. Ranking member of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture; rated Meets Expectations by the Center for Effective Lawmaking, with a sponsored bill enacted in the 118th Congress.
Source: GovTrack, Andrea Salinas
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
David Russ. Published a voters' pamphlet statement and campaign priority pages. Answered Ballotpedia's survey in prior campaigns but not in 2026.
Sources: Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, Nov. 3, 2026, candidate statement, Ballotpedia, David Russ
Andrea Salinas. Holds in-person and remote town halls, publishes a newsletter and published a voters' pamphlet statement. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office of Rep. Salinas, home page, Newberg Graphic, Aug. 11, 2026, Ballotpedia, Andrea Salinas
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
David Russ. Mayor of Dundee in Yamhill County, inside the district. Itemized contributions total $507, too few for an in-state share.
Source: OPB, May 7, 2024
Andrea Salinas. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
David Russ. 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 C00763946
Andrea Salinas. The Oregon Elections Division assessed a $103.75 late-filing penalty on her state committee in November 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 C00793703
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
David Russ. No public record found.
Andrea Salinas. Center for Effective Lawmaking rates her Meets Expectations for the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 of 0.716 against a benchmark of 0.522); her Grand Ronde Reservation Act amendment was enacted.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, Center for Effective Lawmaking, data download page, GovTrack, Andrea Salinas
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
David Russ. No public record found.
Andrea Salinas. Missed 13 of 1,917 roll call votes, 0.7 percent, from January 2023 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
David Russ. No public record found.
Andrea Salinas. Her office reports more than 3,480 casework requests resolved and more than $1.67 million returned to Oregonians, and she holds regular town halls.
Sources: Office of Rep. Salinas, home page, Newberg Graphic, Aug. 11, 2026
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
David Russ. No public record found.
Andrea Salinas. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.47132 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 222 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
David Russ. No public record found.
Andrea Salinas. 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 6th Congressional District?
Andrea Salinas has the strongest record in Oregon's 6th Congressional District. Andrea Salinas scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of David Russ at 53, as of October 6, 2026. Andrea Salinas's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. David Russ's highest marks are relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Oregon's 6th Congressional District in 2026?
David Russ (Republican), Andrea Salinas (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is David Russ a good candidate for Congress?
David Russ scores 53 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 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 Andrea Salinas a good candidate for Congress?
Andrea Salinas scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 75 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.