Rep. Suzanne Bonamici is running for re-election to represent Oregon's 1st Congressional District in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election. Bonamici, who runs on the Working Families Party and Democratic lines, is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. Republican Barbara J. Kahl is also running for the seat.
The district covers large portions of Washington and Multnomah counties, along with Tillamook, Clatsop and Columbia counties, according to Bonamici's congressional biography. Bonamici has held the seat since 2012.
On her campaign website, Bonamici says her public school advocacy work first took her to the Oregon State Capitol, leading to her decision to serve in public office.
Candidate information
- Party: Working Families Party / Democratic
- Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives, Oregon 1st Congressional District
- Residence: Washington County, Oregon
- Education: Associate degree, Lane Community College (1978); bachelor's degree in journalism, University of Oregon; juris doctor, University of Oregon
- Family: Married to Michael. Their children attended public schools in the Beaverton School District.
Experience and public service
Bonamici says she grew up in a small town in Michigan and moved to Oregon after high school. She and her husband moved to Oregon in 1986 and soon after settled in Washington County, according to her campaign website.
She worked as a consumer protection attorney at the Federal Trade Commission in the Credit Practices Division of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, according to her campaign website. After returning to Oregon, she entered private law practice representing individuals and small businesses.
Bonamici says she took a career break to raise her children and volunteered for education, arts and civic organizations including the Classroom Law Project and Beaverton Education Foundation.
She served as a legislative assistant in the Oregon House from 2001 to 2006, then as a state representative for the 34th District from 2006 to 2008 and as a state senator from 2008 to 2012, according to BallotReady.
In Congress, Bonamici says she is ranking member of the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee. She says she co-founded the Congressional STEAM Caucus and co-chairs the House Oceans Caucus.
On the issues
Housing: Bonamici says she supports legislation to produce more than 3 million new affordable housing units. She says she has secured more than $6.25 million in funding to build hundreds of affordable housing units in northwest Oregon and is working to increase funding for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
Education: Bonamici says she played a lead role in the passage of the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act. She says she is fighting for federal funding to make child care and early childhood education affordable and supports protecting Pell Grants and striving for debt-free college.
Health care: Bonamici says health care is a human right and that all proposals to achieve universal coverage, including Medicare for All, must be on the table. She says she is working to lower prescription drug costs.
Climate and energy: Bonamici calls the climate crisis an existential threat. She says, "We are now in defense and trying to save whatever programs we can to help with a just transition to renewable energy."
Workers and the economy: Bonamici says she supports 12 weeks of paid family leave and at least seven job-protected paid sick or safe days. She says she supports labor unions and is helping lead the fight to protect workers' right to organize. She also says she supports raising the federal minimum wage and protecting Social Security and Medicare.
Endorsements
Bonamici has received endorsements from the AFL-CIO, Oregon Education Association, Oregon Nurses Association, American Federation of Teachers-Oregon, Oregon League of Conservation Voters, NOW Oregon and Multnomah County Democratic Party, among others, according to BallotReady.
The Beaverton Beat candidate questionnaire was sent to Suzanne Bonamici's campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 12, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from her public campaign website and public records.
