Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Janelle Bynum battle for Oregon's 5th District

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – In a closely watched race that could influence control in the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican incumbent Lori Chavez-DeRemer faces Democrat Janelle Bynum in the race to represent Oregon’s Fifth District.

Chavez-DeRemer is a first-term congresswoman and the first Republican to represent the district in decades after serving as the mayor of Happy Valley. Bynum is a business owner and has served in the Oregon State Legislature since 2017.

As of 10:00 p.m., Bynum is leading the race with 47% of the vote and Chavez-DeRemer with 45%. According to the Oregon Secretary of State's Office there are more than 280,000 votes counted.

Bynum released a statement saying, “We are still waiting for final results for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, but it’s imperative that every lawful vote is counted, and our team will continue to monitor the returns. We are confident in our path to victory."

Bynum added, “I am grateful for the outpouring of support for my campaign and the vision that we built together, of Oregon over the last 16 months. Thank you to everyone who trusted me with their vote, volunteered for the campaign, and spoke to their friends, family, and neighbors about the importance of this election. We’ll provide updates as Oregonians’ voices continue to be counted.”

Chavez-DeRemer has focused her campaign on addressing the fentanyl crisis and enhancing security at the U.S. southern border.

Bynum has focused her campaign on voting rights, abortion rights, and health care reform -- such as lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

The race has been deemed a "toss-up" by the Cook Political Report, naming the race among the most competitive in the nation.

The race has also brought House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to Oregon to rally for Chavez-DeRemer and Bynum, respectively.