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With the ink barely dry on last November’s general election results, state Rep. Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) kicked of the 2026 midterm races today with an announcement that he will seek to move up to the state Senate next year.
Helfrich, who served as Oregon House minority leader in 2024, did not seek reelection to that position—Rep. Christine Drazan (R-Canby) replaced him—but he signaled today that he remains ambitious.
“These last five years, I’ve worked tirelessly to make Oregon safer, prioritize the needs of our families, support law enforcement, and make lasting change in our community—now, I’m ready to take that fight to the next level," Helfrich wrote on the social media platform X.
He hopes to move up into the seat currently held by Senate Minority Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles).
Bonham cannot seek reelection because he recorded more than 10 excused absences in 2023, when Republicans walked out of the Capitol. For Helfrich, a promotion to the Senate would mean he only needs to run every four years instead of every two, and he would serve twice as many constituents.
A retired Portland police officer, Helfrich can claim credit for working across the aisle on big accomplishments in 2024: the rollback of Measure 110 (drug decriminalization), the passage of campaign contribution limits, and a large housing package.
Couple that with his ability to win in a blue district (Democrats hold a 5.4 percentage point registration advantage in House District 52) and Helfrich stands a strong chance of winning Bonham’s seat. His departure from the House, however, could be a challenge for the GOP.
Historically, midterm elections are difficult for the party that just won the presidency (nationally, Democrats lost 63 House seats in 2010, Barack Obama’s first midterm, for instance; Republicans lost 40 House seats in 2018, Donald Trump’s first midterm).
So, while Helfrich is likely to retain Bonham’s seat for Republicans, his giving up a House seat he’s won twice creates a strong opportunity for Democrats, who already hold a 36-24 supermajority, to pick up one of the state’s relatively few closely contested House seats.
This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering rural Oregon. OJP seeks to inform, engage, and empower readers with investigative and watchdog reporting that makes an impact. Our stories appear in partner newspapers across the state. Learn more at oregonjournalismproject.org.