Incumbent
Cliff Bentz
Incumbent Republican candidate for U.S. House in Oregon
OR-02 Republican nominee?
$6.6K
MAY 20, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Live Odds
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
Cliff Bentz is trading at 100% to win the OR-02 Republican nominee? on prediction markets.
Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleU.S. Representative
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age74 years old (Jan 12, 1952)
GenderMale
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LocationOregon
BackgroundU.S. Representative
EducationB.S., Eastern Oregon State College (now Eastern Oregon University), 1974
Notable personal detailsCliff Stewart Bentz is a Republican politician and lawyer serving as the U.S. representative for Oregon's 2nd congressional district (since 2021). He previously served in the Oregon House of Representatives (2008–2018) and the Oregon Senate (2018–2020). Bentz has worked as a rancher and farmer and practiced law, including work in water law and ranch-related matters.
SourcesShowHide
Political Positions
Economy & Taxes
Cliff Bentz supports tax relief and business tax cuts and has voted for major Republican tax packages that extend or preserve lower tax rates and expand business deductions while backing spending reductions to lower deficits. He frames these actions as pro-growth measures to protect the economy and jobs.
Healthcare
Opposes government-run health care and supports replacing the Affordable Care Act with market-based solutions (expanded choice, competition across state lines, malpractice reform). Has supported Republican budget measures that reduce federal Medicaid spending and has defended cuts as fiscal necessity. Advocates lowering costs through private-market reforms rather than major public expansions like single-payer or Medicare for All.
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Immigration & Border
Supports stronger border enforcement measures including reinitiating construction of a border wall, tightening asylum and parole policies, and providing more tools and funding for Border Patrol and immigration enforcement while also supporting targeted legal pathways for agricultural workers.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Cliff Bentz holds a pro-life position, supporting strong restrictions on abortion and stating his only permitted exception is when the life of the mother is at risk. He has received endorsement from pro-life advocacy groups and voted for House measures that limit abortion-related funding and oppose federal protections for contraception access.
Climate & Energy
Supports streamlining environmental reviews (NEPA) to expedite projects, emphasizes adaptation and forest fuel-reduction to address wildfire and smoke, and has opposed cap-and-trade and other aggressive regulatory climate measures while endorsing policies framed around energy dominance and sustaining fossil-fuel development alongside local land and water use.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports and has repeatedly voted to protect Second Amendment rights, opposes what he described as overreaching gun-control legislation, and has a voting record opposing expanded background checks and court-authorized prohibitions on gun ownership for suicidal individuals. Positions emphasize protecting gun ownership (including concealed carry) while resisting additional restrictions.
Latest News
Cliff Bentz is appearing in election coverage as part of the 2026 race for Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, with recent reports focused on the primary and campaign fundraising. The coverage does not describe a major new policy move or controversy involving him, and the details provided are sparse. Most of the recent attention is simply that he remains in the election mix as the race develops.
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Campaign Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Campaign finance totals from the latest available reporting period.
2022
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2026
LatestCycle 2022
Cycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements