Jayapal’s sister running for open Oregon House seat

Oregon’s Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal, who is also the sister of Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), announced Wednesday that she’s running for an open House seat in Oregon.

Susheela Jayapal is running for Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District after Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) announced this week that he was not seeking reelection. Blumenauer was first elected to the House in 1996. 

“We’re at a pivotal point in our country and in our district. With the Republican majority beholden to extremist ideologues attacking our democracy and our rights in ways we’ve never seen before, it’s more important than ever that we have an unwavering progressive voice in Congress to stand up for our values and bring us together to create the thriving, equitable community we need,” the Multnomah County commissioner said in a statement. 

Pramila Japayal has already endorsed her sister. The seat heavily leans Democratic, meaning whoever wins the primary is the heavy favorite to win the seat. 

Fourteen Democrats in total are not seeking reelection in the House to either retire or run for another office, including a handful opting instead to run for Senate. Meanwhile, six House Republicans have also said they won’t be seeking reelection in the lower chamber, including most recently Rep. Kay Granger (Texas), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee.