CQ Politics

Oregon City, the western terminus of the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail, in 1844 became the first incorporated city west of the Mississippi River. For settlers who made the five-month journey from Independence, Mo., the area marked the end of an arduous trek to Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley. The 5th takes in the northern part of that valley and the state capital of Salem, then spills over the Coast Range to cover two Pacific counties, Tillamook and Lincoln. It also includes a small part of Portland (shared with the 1st and 3rd districts).

Clackamas, Marion and Polk counties are at the heart of the Willamette Valley, Oregon’s most fertile farmland. The valley is the center of the state’s profitable trade in greenhouse crops, seeds and berries. Hops from Marion and Clackamas counties go into some of the nation’s finest beers. Polk County grows cherries and wine grapes; wineries dot Polk and Marion counties.

Once exclusively dependent on agriculture and timber, the district’s economy has diversified and now supports environmental research and technology manufacturing. Salem and surrounding Marion County are home to many government workers and have a robust food processing industry. Portland’s residential suburbs have begun expanding south into Clackamas County, into places such as Oregon City and Lake Oswego. Many residents here work in Portland, but others work in the 5th’s manufacturing sectors, particularly in technology and metals.

The 5th is highly competitive, thanks largely to independent voters in Marion and Clackamas counties. Marion, the district’s most populous jurisdiction, tends to vote narrowly Republican in close statewide races. Strong Democratic areas include Corvallis (shared with the 4th), which is home to Oregon State University, and southwestern Multnomah County, which hosts some affluent liberals around Lewis & Clark College. Overall, George W. Bush won 50 percent of the 5th’s 2004 presidential vote.

Major Industry

Agriculture, timber, food processing, manufacturing, state government

Cities

Salem, 136,924; Lake Oswego (pt.), 35,263; Keizer, 32,203

notable

Salem’s Willamette University, established in 1842, was the first university in the west.