Democrat Chris Beck (pictured) is challenging Republican Rep. Cliff Bentz in Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District. Beck has made rural health care and affordability central to his campaign.
Courtesy Of The Chris Beck Campaign
Democrat Chris Beck says protecting rural health care and lowering household costs are central to his challenge against Republican Rep. Cliff Bentz in Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District.
Beck called for repealing the sweeping tax and spending law President Donald Trump signed in 2025, known as H.R. 1, which includes cuts to Medicaid.
He also advocated for a national health care system that provides basic services and preventive care to all Americans, and discussed rural housing, dam removal and reaching voters in a district Republicans have represented throughout the 21st century.
Bentz, who has held the seat since 2021, was invited to participate but had not responded by the time of the interview. JPR’s invitation remains open.
Health care and household costs
Beck said H.R. 1, which Bentz supported, threatens an already fragile rural health care system. He warned that hospitals could lose Medicaid reimbursements as patients lose insurance coverage.
“That is a financial death knell for many rural hospitals,” Beck said.
Repealing the law would be a first step, he said, rather than a complete solution. Beck said he hopes Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden will advance a national proposal modeled on the Oregon Health Plan, providing basic services and preventive care to all Americans.
Beck connected that goal to affordability, saying broader access to health care could reduce a major household expense. He also argued that ending the war in Iran and rebuilding international alliances could help address fuel and fertilizer costs.
On housing, Beck said he wants to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees rural housing programs. He previously worked on rural economic development policy at the agency during the Obama administration.
What brought him into the race
Beck said the Trump administration’s firing of newer federal employees helped persuade him to run. He said the dismissals affected agencies that support natural resources and other programs important to the district.
“These are the people we want in public service,” Beck said. “They’ve chosen to try to get involved in the government.”
He described the campaign as “a calling more than anything,” drawing on both his concern about the direction of the federal government and his connection to Eastern Oregon. Beck said childhood trips to hunt, fish and collect rocks helped shape his attachment to the region.
Beck, an Oregon native, attended Portland public schools. He studied history at Brown University and earned a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
His government experience began in the Oregon Senate, where he worked for then-Senate President John Kitzhaber and later staffed the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Beck won election to the Oregon House in 1996 and served three legislative sessions.
Klamath and Snake River dams
Beck said he supported the completed Klamath River dam removal project and wants additional efforts to strengthen the Klamath Basin’s economy.
He took a more cautious position on removing Snake River dams, saying salmon recovery needs to be considered alongside the dams’ role in electricity generation and river navigation.
“I’m not going to stand up here and say tear them all down,” Beck said.
He called for a long-term discussion among people with different views about the dams and the region’s future.
Reaching voters across political differences
Asked how he could win in a district with a long history of electing Republicans, Beck said he believes frustration with economic conditions, tariffs and the Trump administration creates an opening for change.
He criticized what he called “50 years of trickle-down economics” and argued that voters want less division and more willingness to work toward shared goals.
Beck said he would hold town halls and welcome disagreement as a member of Congress.
“I like talking with people who I disagree with and who disagree with me,” he said.
Jefferson Exchange host Mike Green and Chris Beck, candidate for Oregon's 2nd congressional district, are pictured in the JPR studio on Sept. 30, 2026.
Natalie Golay/JPR
Mike Green and Natalie Golay are reporters with Jefferson Public Radio.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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