Incumbent Andrea Salinas faces Cody Reynolds in Democratic primary for the 6th District

Incumbent Andrea Salinas will again face Cody Reynolds in the Democrat primary election for Oregon’s 6th Congressional District which represents Polk and Yamhill counties and parts of Marion, Clackamas and Washington counties.

Salinas served in the Oregon House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023 before being elected in 2022 to represent Oregon in the new congressional district.

Reynolds is an Army veteran and entrepreneur who lost to Salinas in the 2022 primary. He previously ran for Congress in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018.

The Statesman Journal asked the candidates the same questions about issues important to the district. Reynolds did not respond. The following are responses from Salinas.

Priorities for Oregon and the country

Salinas said her priorities include fighting to bring down the cost of living, expand access to quality, affordable health care and mental health care, and protect reproductive rights and freedoms.

"I’ve delivered federal funding to help police and local law enforcement get fentanyl off our streets, reduce homelessness and expand rural communities’ access to broadband, mental health, affordable housing, and wildfire prevention resources," Salinas said.

“I also believe that bipartisanship is essential if we hope to make real progress for the American people," she said. "Half of the bills I’ve introduced are bipartisan, and one of those bills – which restores land rights for the Grand Ronde Tribe – was just signed into law."

Expanding access to affordable housing

Salinas said she supports full funding for federal housing programs and expanding tax credits such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).

She said she helped pass a bipartisan tax deal strengthening the LIHTC and paving the way for more than 200,000 new affordable housing units to be built across the country.

Salinas is a cosponsor of the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Act, which provides funding for onstruction, maintenance and repair of manufactured housing communities, she said.

And she is a cosponsor of the Building Housing with Care Act, which would create a grant program to incentivize the construction of affordable housing units that are co-located with childcare facilities, to both address the housing and childcare crises.

“These are good first steps, and I will continue to support robust investments in housing so that every working family can realize their dream of owning a home,” she said.

Expanding access to quality, affordable health care

“Health care is a human right,” Salinas said. “Every Oregonian deserves access to quality, affordable health care – and with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, we’ve made some great strides.”

“Millions of Americans depend on Medicare and Medicaid for their care, and we need to protect – not cut – these programs," she said. “I also understand that health care can only be as good as it is available. Too many areas, particularly our rural communities, have little to no access to quality, comprehensive care. I am committed to finding solutions to these care shortages.”

Changing reproductive health care laws

Salinas said she has supported bills in Congress that would expand access to contraception nationwide, prevent states from criminalizing women who travel for care, and protect the rights of people who want to start a family through IVF.

“Women’s rights and reproductive freedoms are under attack. Full stop. Even though reproductive freedom is protected in Oregon, that does not mean we are immune from the assault from extreme judges and politicians who want to ban abortion nationwide,” Salinas said.

Addressing immigration

“As the daughter of an immigrant, this issue is personal to me,” Salinas said. “We can both secure our southern border and deliver a path to citizenship for the millions of immigrants who work hard, pay taxes, and already contribute to our country’s economy.”

“I have supported several pieces of legislation that would help fix our broken immigration system, including the U.S. Citizenship Act,” she said. “This bill would create an earned pathway to citizenship, while also investing in smart border security technology and addressing the root causes of migration.”

Mitigating the effects of climate change

Salinas said she is working on a Farm Bill reauthorization that will help rural and agricultural communities adapt to climate change; working to introduce legislation to invest in regenerative agriculture, and has voted against efforts that roll back renewable energy policies that can bring good-paying jobs to Oregon while decreasing the cost of energy.

“I am proud to be endorsed by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters and I will continue to support policies that will leave a lasting legacy of clean air, water and land for future generations in Oregon,” she said.

Campaign fundraising

Between Jan. 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, Salinas raised $2.3 million and spent $700,788, leaving $1.6 million cash on hand, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission data.

During the same period, Reynolds raised $3,250 and spent $2,520, leaving $7,894 cash on hand.

Tracy Loew covers education at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips: tloew@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon, faces Cody Reynolds in May 21 primary