Bentz Wins Reelection in Oregon After Medicaid Work Requirement Debate
Republican Cliff Bentz won a fourth term representing Oregon's 2nd Congressional District, defeating Democrat Chris Beck with 61.3% of the vote. The race turned partly on H.R. 1, the federal tax and spending law that includes Medicaid work requirements and cuts; Beck called for its repeal, warning the Medicaid changes would strip coverage and hospital payments, while Bentz defended the work requirements and pointed to $50 billion in the law for rural health programs over five years. The outcome keeps the rural, 70,000-square-mile district in Republican hands, a seat held by the GOP since 1981. Bentz's win signals continued congressional support for H.R. 1's Medicaid provisions as rural hospitals in his district navigate the law's funding and eligibility changes.