National Republican group adds Oregon candidate Mike Erickson to top challenger list

Mike Erickson is challenging U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, in the 6th Congressional District. (Campaign photo)

The National Republican Congressional Committee on Friday named Mike Erickson, the Republican challenging first-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, as one of its top candidates to flip House seats.

Erickson’s addition to the committee’s “Young Guns” list means three of Oregon’s six congressional districts are top priorities for both parties, and candidates in those districts will receive extra help from national groups. The three Oregon districts may play a key role in determining which party controls Congress in 2023.

The NRCC put Monique DeSpain, a retired Air Force colonel challenging first-term Democratic Rep. Val Hoyle in the 4th Congressional District in southwest Oregon, on its Young Guns list in July . The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, meanwhile, is supporting Hoyle and Salinas in their reelection bids and trying to boost Democratic state Rep. Janelle Bynum to victory over incumbent Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer in the 5th District.

National Republicans were slower to embrace Erickson, a logistics consultant from Tigard who has run three prior unsuccessful campaigns for Congress. He lost to Salinas by 2.5 points – just more than 7,200 votes – in 2022.

Erickson released internal polling last week showing himself in a statistical tie with Salinas, and no third-party candidates have filed to run in the Willamette Valley-based 6th District this year. Erickson blamed his 2022 loss on a Constitution Party candidate who earned about 6,700 votes Erickson assumed would otherwise have gone to him.

His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Salinas noted the move on social media, tweeting “National Republicans just named this race to their list of top targeted races this year. MAGA Republicans are pouring resources into #OR06 to try to defeat me. I need your help to hold this seat!”

The NRCC has set aside more than $6 million to buy ads on Portland tv stations, and that money could go toward supporting Chavez-DeRemer, Erickson or Republican Joe Kent in southwest Washington’s 3rd Congressional District.

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