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Janelle Bynum, a former Oregon legislator from Happy Valley, has declared victory in the race for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District.

“I am beyond honored that my neighbors have chosen me to be the next congresswoman for Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District,” Bynum said in a statement Friday after The Oregonian/OregonLive called the race for her. “My work has always been a love letter to Oregon’s children. I ran for office to make their futures brighter, and I’ll do just that in Washington — for their education, for their reproductive freedoms, for their job opportunities, and so much more.”

If the results hold, Bynum would become Oregon’s first Black member of Congress, flipping the district in one of the nation’s most high-profile elections and helping Democrats maintain their increasingly slim hope of controlling the U.S. House next year.

As of Friday morning, Bynum was beating incumbent Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer with about 48% of the vote compared to the incumbent’s 45%, according to Oregon secretary of state results updated Thursday evening. In all, she was leading by 8,575 votes.

Bynum’s lead comes as the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives remains in play, with a handful of races that have yet to be decided in this year’s election. But the race would be a significant win for the Democratic party nationwide as it reels from losing control of the White House and the U.S. Senate this week. And it would continue a trend of this election cycle: The Pacific Northwest has been a rare sign of life for the Democratic Party, with statewide candidate wins in Oregon and Washington and another big House race, Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, going to incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.

Chavez-DeRemer’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday, and she has not conceded.

In her statement, Bynum said: “I am proud to be the first — but not the last — Black Member of Congress from Oregon, and I’m grateful for what this moment means not just for my children, but for all young people across our state to see that change is possible.”

The race drew in millions of dollars in campaign contributions and became the 11th most expensive U.S. House campaign in the country this year with more than $26 million in outside spending, according to the nonprofit Open Secrets, which tracks outside spending in political races.

Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, which stretches from suburban Portland south to Albany and east to Bend, was held for seven terms by Democrat Kurt Schrader, and President Joe Biden won here in 2020. Two years ago, Chavez-DeRemer flipped the seat for Republicans, winning by just two percentage points.

Bynum is a mother of four who worked as an engineer and owned four McDonald’s restaurants. She served in the legislature as chair of the House Judiciary Committee, helping pass a police reform package and a bill to boost the local semiconductor industry.

In Congress, Bynum has said she would push for many of the policies of the Democratic Party nationwide, enacting stricter gun laws, lowering housing and drug costs and seeking to curb climate change.

Bynum ran with the backing of most of Oregon’s top Democrats, including Gov. Tina Kotek, as well as powerful political groups like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the House Democrats national campaign area.

She outraised Chavez-DeRemer, with more than $5.8 million in total contributions, much of which came in during the final months of the race.

The 5th Congressional District is a true swing seat that stretches across urban, suburban and rural communities in Oregon. In unofficial returns, Bynum was winning in Clackamas, Deschutes and Multnomah counties, and Chavez-DeRemer was leading in Marion and Linn counties.

“In Congress, I will always stand up for Oregonians — no matter who you voted for in this election — and fight tirelessly every day to deliver for families all across our district,” Bynum said Friday. “Today, we chart a new path forward for Oregon, one of hope, opportunity, and change for the better.”

Votes are still being counted in a number of swing districts elsewhere in the country that could decide which party controls the U.S. House.

This story may be updated.

A University of Oregon Greek Life administrator was placed on leave after he launched into an expletive-filled rant about Donald Trump’s 2024 election win, callously telling supporters of the president-elect to “jump off a f–king bridge.”

Leonard Serrato, the fraternity and sorority life assistant director, faced immediate backlash following the offensive tirade he posted on his personal Instagram page.

“I say this in the most disrespectful way possible: I don’t care if you are my family, I don’t care if you are my friend, I don’t care if we’ve been friends our entire lives, you can literally go f–k yourself if you voted for Donald Trump,” Serrato said, according to The Oregonian.

Serrato, who proudly called himself a “petty person,” then took aim at voters who were concerned about inflation.

“If you are so sad about your groceries being expensive, get a better f–cking paying job,” he said.

“Do better in life, get a f–king education, do something because you are f–king stupid and I hope you go jump off a f–king bridge.”

The school has placed him on administrative leave and opened an investigation into the matter.

“As a public university we take our duty seriously to provide an environment that welcomes diversity of thought and respect in alignment with our education mission,” the spokesperson told The Post in an email.

“While we investigate, we are providing support for concerned students and employees, including resources for mental and emotional health.”

The school also counseled Serrato in the aftermath and confirmed the post was taken down, the spokesperson said.

A message to Serrato was not immediately returned Thursday night.

Serrato was jailed for 90 days more than a decade ago after the then-senior at Fresno State brought alcohol for a party with new members at his frat house, according to a report.

An 18-year-old pledge died that night, which landed Serrato in legal trouble, he recalled in a 2021 press release about him joining a job at the University of Indiana.

Since that tragic night, he said his focus was on ending hazing and improving Greek Life.

“My focus is accountability: holding our Greek communities accountable for their actions, but also holding myself accountable that they’re being educated properly,” he previously said. 

10 Questions with Manoj Shukla, incoming department head of Crop and Soil Science. He is currently a professor of soil physics at New Mexico State University (NMSU), where he leads and manages the soil physics program.

What drew you to Oregon State University?

Oregon State University is a top-tier research institution (R1) with an outstanding online program. Its global online presence is crucial for success in the challenging years ahead. OSU collaborates closely with a diverse range of stakeholders to address agricultural challenges, with the goal of improving the lives of people in the state. The campus is beautiful, and the surrounding landscape is breathtaking. While my previous job responsibilities were similar, the scale at OSU is much larger, providing a perfect opportunity to push myself further.

What makes you passionate about higher education?

I strongly believe that higher education is fundamental to improving the lives of people. Being able to work with students, teach them and learn from them, and just having an opportunity to make a positive impact on their lives is what makes me passionate about higher education. 

You have a strong passion for mentoring both faculty and students. How will you bring that passion to Oregon State?

Early in my career, I worked hard to build a solid foundation, and along the way, many people helped me achieve my goals. As I progressed in my career, I realized that it is now my turn to engage with younger faculty and students in a meaningful way and support them in achieving success. In the Department of CSS, there are many early-career faculty members and students. I plan to reach out to them, listen to their needs, and find ways to motivate and guide them as they navigate their own paths to success.

What advice would you give the younger version of yourself who was just starting college?

Education is an opportunity that they must avail themselves of. They should always try to give their 110% because when you move in the right direction with sincerity and dedication, success takes care of itself.

Crop and soil science includes many faculty both on the Corvallis campus and in Extension and experiment stations across the state. In your role as a department leader, how will you balance the unique needs of those various groups?

You are right, the CSS department is highly diverse, both in terms of expertise and geographic location, with each member bringing unique expertise. However, many departments within U.S. colleges of agriculture face similar issues. My prior experience as both a member and chair of the college’s promotion and tenure committee has given me a deeper understanding of the strengths that faculty in teaching, research, extension and outreach at both main and branch campuses possess. I am also familiar with some of the connectivity issues and other challenges faced by faculty at branch campuses. While there are no easy solutions, I believe that by leveraging technology and available resources effectively, I can reach out to these faculty members and hopefully inspire and motivate them. The bottom line is that a department can only make meaningful progress when everyone is fully engaged and on board. 

What was your favorite course in college?

It was hydrology. I was always interested in water.

Research funding is essential to your department. How do you plan to work with faculty to increase grants?

I will focus on increasing awareness of funding opportunities and, whenever possible, alert faculty to relevant grants. Additionally, I will work to foster connections between senior, more established faculty members and early-career faculty. Early-career faculty are often highly motivated to secure external grants, and I will collaborate with them to identify and overcome any obstacles to applying for large grants.  

You lived in Las Cruces for almost two decades. What will you miss the most about New Mexico?

I will miss my neighbors. I live in a community where many people have migrated from different places, and we have formed a close-knit group. We interact frequently and support one another like family.

What places or experiences are you most looking forward to when you move to Oregon?

I am looking forward to visiting the east side of the state to have a better understanding of the rain shadow effect and irrigation practices to mitigate it. 

What is your favorite non-academic pursuit or passion?

I would say hiking or going for long walks.