# 2020 United States Senate election in Oregon

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The 2020 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Oregon, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic senator Jeff Merkley won reelection to a third term in office. Although this Senate seat was largely expected to be one of the safest for the Democrats, the race received national attention due to the Republican nominee Jo Rae Perkins's promotion of the unfounded QAnon conspiracy theory. Furthermore, Perkins had flipped five counties that Merkley had won in 2014 (though only by pluralities in the cases of Jackson, Polk and Yamhill).

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Jeff Merkley, incumbent U.S. senator (also nominated by the Oregon Independent Party and the Working Families Party)

#### Withdrawn

* Michael David, activist and ethnographer

### Endorsements
#### Organizations

* American Federation of Teachers - Oregon
* Council for a Livable World
* Democracy for America
* Human Rights Campaign
* Humane Society of the United States Legislative Fund
* League of Conservation Voters
* NARAL Pro-Choice America
* Oregon Education Association
* Oregon League of Conservation Voters
* SEIU Oregon State Council
* Sierra Club

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jeff Merkley (incumbent) | 564,878 | 98.71% |
| | Democratic | Write-in | 7,386 | 1.29% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 572,264 | 100.0% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Jo Rae Perkins, former chairwoman of the Linn County Republican Party

#### Eliminated in primary

* Paul Romero, refrigeration repair technician and candidate for Oregon's 2nd congressional district in 2016 and 2018
* Robert Schwartz, dance teacher
* John Verbeek, financial executive and nominee for Oregon's 1st congressional district in 2018

#### Withdrawn

* Matthew Kulow

#### Declined

* Knute Buehler, former state representative for District 54, nominee for Oregon secretary of state in 2012 and Governor of Oregon in 2018 (running for Oregon's 2nd congressional district)

### Endorsements
#### State representatives

* Mike Nearman, District 23

#### Individuals

* Jack Esp, 2020 candidate for Oregon's 21st House district
* Alek Skarlatos, Oregon Army National Guard veteran and 2020 candidate for Oregon's 4th congressional district

#### Organizations

* Oregon Right to Life PAC

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jo Rae Perkins | 178,004 | 49.23% |
| | Republican | Paul J. Romero, Jr. | 109,783 | 30.36% |
| | Republican | Robert Schwartz | 40,196 | 11.12% |
| | Republican | John Verbeek | 29,382 | 8.13% |
| | Republican | Write-in | 4,250 | 1.17% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 361,615 | 100.0% |

## Other candidates
### Pacific Green Party
#### Nominee

* Ibrahim Taher, philosopher, anti-war activist, current member state coordinating committee in the Pacific Green Party (also nominated by the Oregon Progressive Party)

#### Endorsements
##### Individuals

* Dario Hunter, lawyer and 2020 candidate for president of the United States
* Cynthia McKinney, former United States Congress member and 2008 Green candidate for president of the United States
* David Rolde, 2020 Green candidate for president of the United States
* Cindy Sheehan, prominent anti-war activist

##### Organizations

* Oregon Progressive Party

### Libertarian Party
#### Nominee

* Gary Dye, former refinery operator and engineer

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid D | October 29, 2020 |
| Inside Elections | Safe D | October 28, 2020 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe D | November 2, 2020 |
| Daily Kos | Safe D | October 30, 2020 |
| Politico | Safe D | November 2, 2020 |
| RCP | Safe D | October 23, 2020 |
| DDHQ | Safe D | November 3, 2020 |
| 538 | Safe D | November 2, 2020 |
| Economist | Safe D | November 2, 2020 |

### Additional general election endorsements
#### Organizations

* 350.org
* Blue America
* Center for Biological Diversity
* Demand Universal Healthcare
* End Citizens United
* Everytown for Gun Safety
* J Street PAC
* Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs
* MoveOn
* National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
* National Organization for Women
* Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund
* Peace Action
* Planned Parenthood
* Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon
* Population Connection

#### Unions

* National Education Association
* Oregon AFL-CIO
* United Auto Workers

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jeff Merkley (D) | Jo Rae Perkins (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Civiqs/Daily Kos | September 26–29, 2020 | 944 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 55% | 35% | 5% | 5% |

### Results

2020 United States Senate election in Oregon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Jeff Merkley (incumbent) | 1,321,047 | 56.91% | +1.18% |
| | Republican | Jo Rae Perkins | 912,814 | 39.32% | +2.45% |
| | Libertarian | Gary Dye | 42,747 | 1.84% | −1.23% |
| | Pacific Green | Ibrahim Taher | 42,239 | 1.82% | −0.40% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 2,402 | 0.11% | -0.34% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,321,249 | 100.0% | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

#### By county

By county :
| County | Jeff Merkley Democratic | Jeff Merkley Democratic | Jo Rae Perkins Republican | Jo Rae Perkins Republican | Gary Dye Libertarian | Gary Dye Libertarian | Ibrahim Taher Pacific Green | Ibrahim Taher Pacific Green | Write-in | Write-in | Margin | Margin | Total votes |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes |
| Baker | 2,633 | 27.01 | 6,863 | 70.39 | 176 | 1.81 | 71 | 0.73 | 7 | 0.07 | -4,230 | -43.38 | 9,750 |
| Benton | 35,021 | 67.29 | 14,811 | 28.46 | 1,041 | 2.00 | 1,118 | 2.15 | 52 | 0.10 | 20,210 | 38.83 | 52,043 |
| Clackamas | 134,813 | 53.79 | 106,838 | 42.63 | 4,767 | 1.90 | 3,995 | 1.59 | 227 | 0.09 | 27,975 | 11.16 | 250,640 |
| Clatsop | 13,052 | 55.48 | 9,623 | 40.91 | 438 | 1.86 | 391 | 1.66 | 20 | 0.09 | 3,429 | 14.58 | 23,524 |
| Columbia | 14,375 | 45.44 | 15,948 | 50.41 | 767 | 2.42 | 507 | 1.60 | 40 | 0.13 | -1,573 | -4.97 | 31,637 |
| Coos | 14,885 | 41.23 | 20,051 | 55.53 | 676 | 1.87 | 470 | 1.30 | 24 | 0.07 | -5,166 | -14.31 | 36,106 |
| Crook | 4,133 | 27.29 | 10,628 | 70.17 | 250 | 1.65 | 118 | 0.78 | 17 | 0.11 | -6,495 | -42.88 | 15,146 |
| Curry | 6,170 | 42.24 | 7,993 | 54.72 | 268 | 1.83 | 170 | 1.16 | 7 | 0.05 | -1,823 | -12.48 | 14,608 |
| Deschutes | 65,264 | 53.19 | 53,285 | 43.43 | 2,244 | 1.83 | 1,769 | 1.44 | 128 | 0.10 | 11,979 | 9.76 | 122,690 |
| Douglas | 20,707 | 33.03 | 40,036 | 63.87 | 1,217 | 1.94 | 660 | 1.05 | 65 | 0.10 | -19,329 | -30.84 | 62,685 |
| Gilliam | 373 | 31.96 | 765 | 65.55 | 18 | 1.54 | 8 | 0.69 | 3 | 0.26 | -392 | -33.59 | 1,167 |
| Grant | 1,119 | 24.80 | 3,273 | 72.52 | 89 | 1.97 | 27 | 0.60 | 5 | 0.11 | -2,154 | -47.73 | 4,513 |
| Harney | 1,055 | 24.10 | 3,213 | 73.41 | 65 | 1.49 | 38 | 0.87 | 6 | 0.14 | -2,158 | -49.30 | 4,377 |
| Hood River | 8,619 | 66.89 | 3,821 | 29.65 | 229 | 1.78 | 209 | 1.62 | 7 | 0.05 | 4,798 | 37.24 | 12,885 |
| Jackson | 59,093 | 47.54 | 61,010 | 49.08 | 2,217 | 1.78 | 1,901 | 1.53 | 82 | 0.07 | -1,917 | -1.54 | 124,303 |
| Jefferson | 4,591 | 39.07 | 6,810 | 57.95 | 206 | 1.75 | 130 | 1.11 | 15 | 0.13 | -2,219 | -18.88 | 11,752 |
| Josephine | 18,697 | 37.23 | 29,685 | 59.10 | 986 | 1.96 | 789 | 1.57 | 68 | 0.14 | -10,988 | -21.88 | 50,225 |
| Klamath | 11,237 | 31.23 | 23,579 | 65.53 | 702 | 1.95 | 435 | 1.21 | 29 | 0.08 | -12,342 | -34.30 | 35,982 |
| Lake | 908 | 21.29 | 3,261 | 76.46 | 63 | 1.48 | 29 | 0.68 | 4 | 0.09 | -2,353 | -55.17 | 4,265 |
| Lane | 133,033 | 61.26 | 75,550 | 34.79 | 3,842 | 1.77 | 4,497 | 2.07 | 236 | 0.11 | 57,483 | 26.47 | 217,158 |
| Lincoln | 17,485 | 57.88 | 11,628 | 38.49 | 546 | 1.81 | 524 | 1.73 | 25 | 0.08 | 5,857 | 19.39 | 30,208 |
| Linn | 27,048 | 38.29 | 40,801 | 57.76 | 1,618 | 2.29 | 1,079 | 1.53 | 98 | 0.14 | -13,753 | -19.47 | 70,644 |
| Malheur | 3,353 | 28.92 | 7,882 | 67.97 | 230 | 1.98 | 124 | 1.07 | 7 | 0.06 | -4,529 | -39.06 | 11,596 |
| Marion | 79,990 | 49.37 | 75,908 | 46.85 | 3,221 | 1.99 | 2,683 | 1.66 | 212 | 0.13 | 4,082 | 2.52 | 162,014 |
| Morrow | 1,558 | 30.94 | 3,324 | 66.02 | 109 | 2.16 | 41 | 0.81 | 3 | 0.06 | -1,766 | -35.07 | 5,035 |
| Multnomah | 356,870 | 78.53 | 78,673 | 17.31 | 6,775 | 1.49 | 11,669 | 2.57 | 431 | 0.09 | 278,197 | 61.22 | 454,418 |
| Polk | 22,893 | 48.16 | 22,931 | 48.24 | 928 | 1.95 | 725 | 1.53 | 54 | 0.11 | -38 | -0.08 | 47,531 |
| Sherman | 302 | 25.61 | 845 | 71.67 | 26 | 2.21 | 6 | 0.51 | 0 | 0.00 | -543 | -46.06 | 1,179 |
| Tillamook | 8,326 | 50.19 | 7,768 | 46.83 | 270 | 1.63 | 213 | 1.28 | 12 | 0.07 | 558 | 3.36 | 16,589 |
| Umatilla | 11,253 | 34.95 | 19,876 | 61.74 | 696 | 2.16 | 339 | 1.05 | 30 | 0.09 | -8,623 | -26.78 | 32,194 |
| Union | 4,545 | 31.12 | 9,674 | 66.24 | 230 | 1.57 | 145 | 0.99 | 11 | 0.08 | -5,129 | -35.12 | 14,605 |
| Wallowa | 1,702 | 33.56 | 3,267 | 64.43 | 65 | 1.28 | 37 | 0.73 | 0 | 0.00 | -1,565 | -30.86 | 5,071 |
| Wasco | 6,716 | 48.67 | 6,572 | 47.63 | 290 | 2.10 | 208 | 1.51 | 13 | 0.09 | 144 | 1.04 | 13,799 |
| Washington | 202,073 | 64.64 | 97,799 | 31.28 | 6,131 | 1.96 | 6,206 | 1.99 | 409 | 0.13 | 104,274 | 33.36 | 312,618 |
| Wheeler | 262 | 28.11 | 646 | 69.31 | 16 | 1.72 | 8 | 0.86 | 0 | 0.00 | -384 | -41.20 | 932 |
| Yamhill | 26,893 | 46.88 | 28,177 | 49.12 | 1,335 | 2.33 | 900 | 1.57 | 55 | 0.10 | -1,284 | -2.24 | 57,360 |
| Totals | 1,321,047 | 56.91 | 912,814 | 39.32 | 42,747 | 1.84 | 42,239 | 1.82 | 2,402 | 0.10 | 408,233 | 17.59 | 2,321,249 |

#### By congressional district

Merkley won four of five congressional districts.
| District | Merkley | Perkins | Representative |
| 1st | 62% | 34% | Suzanne Bonamici |
| 2nd | 43% | 53% | Cliff Bentz |
| 3rd | 73% | 22% | Earl Blumenauer |
| 4th | 52% | 44% | Peter DeFazio |
| 5th | 53% | 43% | Kurt Schrader |