Biden backs Oregon rep over progressive challenger in first midterm endorsement

President Biden has endorsed Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) in his primary against a progressive challenger, marking the first time the president has waded into a primary this election cycle.

“We don’t always agree, but when it has mattered most, Kurt has been there for me,” Biden said in a statement released by the Schrader campaign over the weekend. “And in doing so, he has helped to pass much of my agenda into law—making a huge difference in the lives of the Oregonians he represents and all of America.”

“Now we have a lot more to do, and to get it done we need to keep a Democratic Congress,” Biden wrote in the endorsement.

Schrader is facing a primary challenge from the left in Jamie McLeod-Skinner, who ran an unsuccessful House campaign in 2018 to unseat Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) in the state’s 2nd Congressional District. The primary will take place on May 17.

It is unusual for a president to weigh in on a primary race within their own party, and the Schrader endorsement is especially noticeable because Biden has not endorsed any other candidates ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Schrader is a moderate member of the House Democratic Caucus, and he has even voted against some policies Biden has pushed for, including raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and a drug pricing bill.

Schrader joined the president during a stop in Portland last week, where the president touted funds from a $1.4 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law that would be used to upgrade the city’s airport.

“I respect Biden’s work to tackle Covid-19 & rebuild our economy but I have to disagree with the President here,” McLeod-Skinner tweeted on Saturday night. “Schrader took over $1 million from Big Pharma & other corporate donors—and then voted against Oregonians. We need a leader in Congress who will finally fight for us.”