U.S. House · Oregon's 2nd District

Eastern, southern and much of rural Oregon, covering roughly 20 counties including Medford, Klamath Falls, Bend's eastern edges, and Ontario.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

✓ Fact-checked 2026-09-25: 22 claims re-checked against their sources · 3 corrected · 0 removed

A second, independent research pass re-opened every cited source for this race and corrected or removed anything the source didn’t support.

  • Bentz's 'third-generation Oregonian, raised on cattle ranches in Harney County, cum laude' bio details were cited only to Ballotpedia, which doesn't state them; added his official house.gov bio as a second source since it confirms them verbatim.
  • Fixed a mislabeled record item: the 'Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee' chairmanship was a 118th Congress (2023-2024) U.S. House committee assignment, not an Oregon state legislature role as the original text implied; split into a corrected congressional-committee item and a separate, accurately dated (2019-2020, not 2018-2020) Oregon state senate committee item with correct committee names (Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation Committee, not just 'Judiciary'; Vice-Chair/Co-Vice Chair titles restored).
  • Added house.gov/about as source s5 for the corrected Bentz background/summary items.

On the ballot · 2 candidates

Where they stand — side by side

Only positions documented in a cited source are shown. Where an officeholder’s recorded votes speak to an issue, the votes set the position (marked “votes”). A dash means we found no clear public position — not that the candidate has none.

ISSUECliff Bentz
R
Chris Beck
D
Protect legal access to abortionOpposes[22][23]votes—
Stricter gun lawsOpposes[20][21]votes—
Expand immigration enforcement and deportationsSupports[10][11][12][13][14][15]votes—
Loosen zoning rules to build more housing—Supports[3]
Raise taxes on high earners or corporationsOpposes[11][12][13][18]votes—
Expand public health coverageOpposes[11][12][13][16]votesSupports[3]
Faster transition away from fossil fuelsOpposes[11][12][13][17][18]votes—
Broad tariffs on imported goodsSupports[19]votesOpposes[3]
Universal, publicly funded child careOpposes[17]votes—

The candidates, in full

Cliff Bentz

RINCUMBENTU.S. Representative (since 2021)

Cliff Bentz is the Republican nominee for re-election to Oregon's 2nd Congressional District, which he has represented since 2021. He is a third-generation Oregonian and former state legislator from Ontario.[2][5]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Key votes in Congress

  • NoWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · H. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · 2026-06-03 roll call ↗The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran that Congress has not authorized, invoking the War Powers Resolution. It passed the House with support from Democrats and a number of Republicans.
  • NoResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · H.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · 2026-02-11 roll call ↗The resolution terminates the national emergency the President declared in February 2025 to justify a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, ending that tariff if it becomes law. It passed with a bipartisan majority, including several Republicans who broke with the administration on trade policy.
  • YesConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government funding · H.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · 2026-02-03 roll call ↗The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026.
  • NoBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · H.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · 2026-01-08 roll call ↗The bill extends for additional years the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were expanded in 2021 and had lapsed at the end of 2025, lowering health-insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on ACA marketplaces. It passed with support from nearly all Democrats and a small group of Republicans.
  • NoWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela · H. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · 2025-12-17 roll call ↗The resolution would have directed the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized. It failed after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela had raised questions in Congress about the administration's legal authority for military action in the region.
  • YesNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passage · S. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · 2025-12-10 roll call ↗The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. It also sets policy on military personnel, procurement, and other Defense Department programs for the year.
  • YesEpstein Files Transparency Act · H.R. 4405 · Passed 427–1 · 2025-11-18 roll call ↗The bill directs the Department of Justice to publicly release its investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days, while allowing redactions to protect victim identities, ongoing investigations, and law enforcement techniques. It passed with near-unanimous support.
  • YesContinuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending vote · H.R. 5371 · Passed 222–209 · 2025-11-12 roll call ↗The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. It also reversed shutdown-related federal layoffs and funded SNAP benefits retroactively.
  • YesCLARITY Act — digital asset market structure · H.R. 3633 · Passed 294–134 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The CLARITY Act creates a regulatory framework dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It sets registration and disclosure requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other digital-asset intermediaries.
  • YesGENIUS Act — stablecoin regulation · S. 1582 · Passed 308–122 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and to comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation enacted into federal law.
  • YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 218–214 · 2025-07-03 roll call ↗H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and raises the cap on state and local tax deductions. It increases border security and defense spending while cutting projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adding new work requirements; President Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.
  • YesRescissions Act of 2025 · H.R. 4 · Passed 214–212 · 2025-06-12 roll call ↗The Rescissions Act canceled about $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, mostly for foreign aid programs and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was the first rescissions package Congress had approved in decades.
  • YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 215–214 · 2025-05-22 roll call ↗H.R. 1 extends and modifies the 2017 individual and business tax cuts, creates new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and increases spending on border security and defense. It also reduces projected spending on Medicaid and food-assistance programs and adds new work requirements for some recipients.
  • YesSAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · H.R. 22 · Passed 220–208 · 2025-04-10 roll call ↗The SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish procedures to remove noncitizens identified on voter rolls.
  • YesFull-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 · H.R. 1968 · Passed 217–213 · 2025-03-11 roll call ↗The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown ahead of a March 14 deadline. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations.
  • YesLaken Riley Act — final passage · S. 5 · Passed 263–156 · 2025-01-22 roll call ↗The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions.
  • YesSecure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · H.R. 2 · Passed 219–213 · 2023-05-11 roll call ↗Would have resumed border-wall construction, restricted asylum eligibility, expanded detention, and mandated E-Verify for employers.
  • NoInflation Reduction Act — final House passage · H.R. 5376 · Passed 220–207 · 2022-08-12 roll call ↗Enacted clean-energy and climate tax credits, a 15% minimum tax on large corporations' book income, a 1% excise tax on stock buybacks, and Medicare drug-price negotiation.
  • NoAssault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · H.R. 1808 · Passed 217–213 · 2022-07-29 roll call ↗Would have banned the sale, manufacture and import of many semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.
  • NoWomen's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · H.R. 8296 · Passed 219–210 · 2022-07-15 roll call ↗Passed after Dobbs; would have created a federal statutory right to abortion services and limited state restrictions.
  • NoBipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · S. 2938 · Passed 234–193 · 2022-06-24 roll call ↗Expanded background checks for buyers under 21, funded state red-flag and crisis-intervention programs, and narrowed the "boyfriend loophole."
  • NoBuild Back Better Act — House passage · H.R. 5376 · Passed 220–213 · 2021-11-19 roll call ↗Would have funded clean-energy tax credits, universal pre-kindergarten and child-care subsidies, and extended health-coverage subsidies; it did not pass the Senate.
  • NoWomen's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · H.R. 3755 · Passed 218–211 · 2021-09-24 roll call ↗Would have created a federal statutory right for providers to offer, and patients to receive, abortion services, limiting state restrictions.
  • NoAmerican Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · H.R. 6 · Passed 228–197 · 2021-03-18 roll call ↗Would have created a path to permanent legal status for many undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and for certain TPS and DED holders.

On the record — official actions

  • actionIn the 119th Congress (2025-2026), serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (Subcommittees on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade; Health; Energy) and the Committee on Natural Resources (Subcommittees on Federal Lands; Water, Wildlife and Fisheries).[2]
  • actionIn the 118th Congress (2023-2024), chaired the House Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife and served on the House Judiciary Committee (Subcommittees on Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust; Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet).[2]
  • actionAs an Oregon state senator (2019-2020), served as Vice-Chair of the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee and Co-Vice Chair of the Tax Expenditures Committee, and sat on the Joint Transportation Committee, the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, and the Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation Committee.[2]

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted yes on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11). Voted no on American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6, 2021-03-18).[10][11][12][13][14][15]

    What they say: Voted for H.Res. 863, impeaching DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, which passed the House 214-213 on February 13, 2024, stating that Mayorkas' implementation of Biden administration border policy 'resulted in the worst mass illegal migration into the United States that we have ever experienced.'[4][6]

    “There is no question that Secretary Mayorkas has failed to carry out his duties as cabinet secretary, putting the American people at serious and decades-long risk. His implementation of the Biden border policies has resulted in the worst mass illegal migration into the United States that we have ever experienced.”
  • OpposesExpand public health coverageFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08).[11][12][13][16]

  • OpposesFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits. Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19; 2022-08-12), which would have funded clean-energy tax credits.[11][12][13][17][18]

  • OpposesRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent. Voted no on Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376, 2022-08-12), which added a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a stock-buyback excise tax.[11][12][13][18]

  • SupportsBroad tariffs on imported goodsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11).[19]

  • OpposesUniversal, publicly funded child careFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19), which would have funded universal pre-K and child-care subsidies.[17]

  • OpposesStricter gun lawsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808, 2022-07-29). Voted no on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938, 2022-06-24).[20][21]

  • OpposesProtect legal access to abortionFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755, 2021-09-24). Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 (H.R. 8296, 2022-07-15).[22][23]

Background

  • Raised on his family's cattle ranches in Harney County; graduated cum laude from Eastern Oregon State College and earned a J.D. from Lewis and Clark Law School.[2][5]
  • Practiced water and ranch-reorganization law in Ontario, Oregon, becoming a partner at the Yturri, O'Kief, Rose and Burnham firm; chaired the Oregon Water Resources Commission and the Ontario 8C public school board.[2][5]
  • Served in the Oregon House of Representatives (2008-2018) and Oregon State Senate (2018-2020) before being elected to Congress in 2020.[2]

Campaign money

Raised $1.0M · spent $647K · $1.4M cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗

Chris Beck

D

Chris Beck is the Democratic nominee for Oregon's 2nd Congressional District. He is a former Oregon state representative who later worked as a rural economic policy advisor at the USDA.[3]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

On the record — official actions

  • vote2001-04-25 · Voted no on HB 2744-A (prohibiting local governments from setting minimum wages above the statewide rate, except for public employers and contracts), which passed the Oregon House 36-22 on April 25, 2001.[7]
  • vote2001-02-06 · Voted no on HB 2092-A (defining and expanding the scope of home visits and searches by probation officers), which passed the Oregon House 37-23 on February 6, 2001.[8]
  • vote2001-06-04 · Voted no on HB 2010-A (authorizing environmental cleanup districts funded by a privilege tax on gross receipts, aimed at the Portland Harbor Superfund site), which passed the Oregon House 31-29 on June 4, 2001.[9]

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsExpand public health coverage

    Says the current administration, 'with the blind support of our Congressman,' has cut Medicaid with no plan for comprehensive health care reform, and calls quality health care a human right.[3]

    “Quality Health Care is a Human Right.”
  • SupportsLoosen zoning rules to build more housing

    Says housing must be built, with public assistance and incentives, concentrated in existing Main Street neighborhoods rather than scattered onto farm and forest resource land.[3]

  • OpposesBroad tariffs on imported goods

    Calls the tariffs imposed under the Trump administration 'careless and haphazard' and says he would work to repeal them.[3]

In their words — priorities

  • Health care access: describes quality health care as a human right and cites rural hospital and clinic closures making basic and emergency care harder to reach in the district.[3]
  • Housing: says the free market alone has never produced affordable housing and calls for public assistance and incentives, with low-cost housing built into existing Main Street neighborhoods rather than on farm and forest land.[3]
  • Trade and immigration: opposes the tariffs imposed during the Trump administration, which he says have hurt rural export markets, and calls for repealing them alongside a 'sensible, bipartisan approach to legal immigration.'[3]

Background

  • Attended Oregon public schools; earned a bachelor's degree from Brown University (1985) and a graduate degree from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government (2005).[3]
  • Began a career in public service as legislative staff for the Oregon Legislature, then was elected as an Oregon State Representative and served six years; later spent six years as a rural economic policy advisor at USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C.[3]
  • Worked as a land-conservation real estate negotiator for the Trust for Public Land, helping conserve land in the Columbia Gorge and elsewhere in Oregon.[3]

Campaign money

Raised $95K · spent $41K · $54K cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗

Research notes & limits

Federal key votes and FEC finance totals for Rep. Bentz are added separately by script. Chris Beck served in the Oregon House 1997-2003; floor votes cited above are drawn from the official 2001 House Journal (roll calls list only the minority side by name, so his vote is inferred from inclusion in the printed Yeas/Nays list).

Sources · 23

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.Oregon's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.Cliff Bentz · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.Chris Beck · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Issues · Office of Rep. Cliff Bentz Candidate's own words
  5. 5.About · Office of Rep. Cliff Bentz Official record
  6. 6.Roll Call 43 | H.Res.863, Impeaching Alejandro N. Mayorkas — Agreeing to the Resolution, as Amended · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · 2024-02-13 Official record
  7. 7.Oregon House Journal, 71st Legislative Assembly, 2001 Regular Session — roll call on HB 2744-A (limiting local minimum-wage ordinances), April 25, 2001 · Oregon House of Representatives, Office of the Chief Clerk · 2001-04-25 Official record
  8. 8.Oregon House Journal, 71st Legislative Assembly, 2001 Regular Session — roll call on HB 2092-A (scope of probation officer home visits), February 6, 2001 · Oregon House of Representatives, Office of the Chief Clerk · 2001-02-06 Official record
  9. 9.Oregon House Journal, 71st Legislative Assembly, 2001 Regular Session — roll call on HB 2010-A (environmental cleanup districts / Portland Harbor Superfund privilege tax), June 4, 2001 · Oregon House of Representatives, Office of the Chief Clerk · 2001-06-04 Official record
  10. 10.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  11. 11.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  12. 12.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  13. 13.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  14. 14.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  15. 15.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-03-18 Official record
  16. 16.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  17. 17.Roll call: Build Back Better Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-11-19 Official record
  18. 18.Roll call: Inflation Reduction Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-08-12 Official record
  19. 19.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  20. 20.Roll call: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-29 Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-06-24 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-09-24 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-15 Official record