May 21, 2026 3:45 a.m. 

On Tuesday, Cliff Bentz secured the Republican nomination for Oregon’s Second Congressional District and will advance to the general election this November.

Bentz received nearly 80 percent of the votes in initial results in the Republican primary.

Bentz said, “Having the opportunity to represent the people of Oregon’s Second Congressional District is one of the greatest honors of my life. I am truly privileged to be entrusted with this responsibility”. Bentz said, “I will continue the fight in Congress to protect our rural communities and uphold their values of respect, perseverance, responsibility and growth”.

Bentz is a former state representative, state senator and farmer and attorney from Ontario. A campaign release said in the upcoming Congress, Bentz plans to remain focused on protecting the agricultural use of water, reliable power rates, water rights, the Snake River dams, livestock production, rural health care, and other issues that impact Oregon’s rural communities.

Bentz will face Democrat Chris Beck, a former state lawmaker from Phoenix, and rural land expert in the general election.