Rep. Andrea Salinas raised $277,000 for her reelection campaign last quarter, more than 1,000 times the $250 her Republican challenger collected. The Federal Election Commission filings were first reported by the Oregon Capital Chronicle on Monday, Oct. 19.
Salinas, a Democrat representing the Willamette Valley-based 6th Congressional District that includes Hillsboro, posted the widest fundraising margin in Oregon's congressional delegation. Her opponent, former Dundee Mayor David Russ, reported just $250 for the quarter.
Russ raised $250.
The Republican is an accountant and real estate broker who ran in the 2022 and 2024 congressional primaries, The Oregonian reported. His candidate questionnaire lists 10 years as Dundee mayor and service on the Yamhill County Parkway Committee and Yamhill County Public Safety board.
The quarterly filings cover fundraising and spending between July 1 and Sept. 30. Candidates filed the reports with the FEC on Thursday, less than three weeks before the Nov. 3 general election.
The fundraising imbalance is not new. As of late June, Salinas' campaign had raised $1.6 million since 2025, while Russ had reported $12,000, according to a Sept. 25 Oregon Capital Chronicle analysis. DHM public opinion researcher John Horvick told the Chronicle that disproportionate fundraising and growing disillusionment with the Trump administration are likely to keep the district blue.
The 6th Congressional District stretches from the southern Portland suburbs through much of the Willamette Valley, covering parts of Washington, Clackamas and Multnomah counties. Democrats make up about 30% of the district's 486,286 registered voters, Republicans about 25% and unaffiliated voters nearly 39%, according to The Oregonian.
Salinas won the newly drawn seat in 2022 by 2.4 percentage points after two competitive races against self-funded candidate Mike Erickson. She expanded her margin to 6.8% in 2024, according to Oregon Capital Chronicle commentary. Major national race raters now consider the district "safe Democratic."
Across Oregon, all three Democratic incumbents in formerly competitive districts outraised their Republican challengers in the third quarter. U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum outpaced Patti Adair by nearly $630,000 in the 5th District. U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle raised $365,000 in the 4th District, topping Monique DeSpain's roughly $214,000. Statewide, U.S. House candidates raised $2.8 million and spent $3.2 million in the quarter.
Hillsboro voters will find Salinas and Russ on their ballots ahead of the general election.
