Defeated House Democrat from Oregon warns about rise of party's 'socialist wing'
After redistricting carved up the House seat in Oregon that centrist Democratic Rep. Kurt Schrader has represented for nearly 14 years, he is refusing to line up behind a more liberal party member who beat him in the primary.
On May 17, Schrader fell victim to a redrawn map that chopped up the 5th Congressional District that he currently represents, which includes parts of Oregon's central coast. Oregon gained a House seat due to strong population growth in the decade before the 2020 census, giving it six. But the newly configured district Schrader ran in proved less hospitable than his current one to the 70-year-old's brand of business-friendly centrism, which has included opposition to proposed hikes of the federal minimum wage and corporate regulations.
Schrader recently gave his first interview since his primary loss to Jamie McLeod-Skinner, an attorney who had the backing of several liberal Democrats and organizations. Schrader made it clear he doesn’t think voters chose the right candidate in a year in which it appears Republicans are going to surge back to win the House and Senate.
“I think red wave begins in Oregon — Oregon’s 5th District,” Schrader told a local news outlet last month. “That’s unfortunate.”
Despite the convincing win for McLeod-Skinner — she bested Schrader 56.9% to 42.7% — the departing incumbent said he doesn’t think his opponent is going to fare well in November’s general election, and polling from McLeod-Skinner’s allies in early June agree with Schrader’s assessment of a candidate who ran to his left….
Schrader said he isn’t getting ready to change his party affiliation or even endorse a Republican, but he said he doesn’t feel like he fits in with what today’s Democratic Party looks like.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/outgoing-democrat-red-wave-begins-oregon-socialist-wing-take-party