Janelle Bynum Explained

Janelle Bynum
Term Start:January 9, 2023
Predecessor:James Hieb
Birth Date:31 January 1975
Birth Place:Washington, D.C., U.S.
Party:Democratic
Education:Florida A&M University (BA)
University of Michigan (MBA)
Birth Name:Janelle Sojourner Irick
State House2:Oregon
State House:Oregon
Predecessor2:Shemia Fagan
Successor2:James Hieb
Termend2:January 9, 2023
Termstart2:January 9, 2017
District2:51st
District:39th

Janelle Sojourner Bynum (née Irick; born January 31, 1975) is an American politician and businesswoman serving as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives. She is a member of the Democratic Party and currently represents the 39th district, which covers northern Clackamas County, including most of Happy Valley and parts of Oregon City, Milwaukie and the surrounding area.

First elected to the legislature in 2016, Bynum previously represented the 51st district, which covered southern Multnomah County and northern Clackamas County, including the southeasternmost part of Portland, most of Happy Valley and Damascus, and the surrounding area.

Early life and education

Bynum grew up in Washington, D.C.[1] [2] She graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Florida A&M University in 1996 and with a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan in 2000.[3]

As a student at Florida A&M University, Bynum received a scholarship from Boeing, and later served as a summer associate for the company.[4] After graduating from college, Bynum worked at General Motors as a steering systems engineer while pursuing her MBA.

Career

Early career

While at General Motors, she was in Taiwan for a week following the 9/11 terrorist attacks' impact on air travel. Following this experience, in 2002, Bynum relocated to Clackamas County to help her mother-in-law run a McDonald's franchise.[5] [6]

Oregon House of Representatives

In 2016, after incumbent Shemia Fagan opted not to seek re-election to her seat in Oregon House District 51, Bynum filed to run as a Democrat in the May 2016 primary election. Bynum won the Democratic primary over Randy Shannon, a former member of the Damascus City Council, receiving 66% of the vote.[7] In the general election, she defeated Republican candidate Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the mayor of Happy Valley, with 51% of the vote in what was considered one of the most competitive House races for the 2016 cycle.[8] [9] [10] [11]

Bynum, who is Black, was reported to the police as a "suspicious person" while canvassing a neighborhood in her district in 2018.[12]

In 2018, Bynum again faced Chavez-DeRemer, whom she defeated with 53% of the vote. In 2020, Bynum won re-election against Republican Jane Hays, a school administrator, and Libertarian candidate Donald Crawford.[13]

In January 2022, after Tina Kotek resigned her position to focus on her run for Governor,[14] Bynum ran for the position of Oregon Speaker of the House against Representative Dan Rayfield of Corvallis.[15] In a closed-door meeting, Rayfield defeated Bynum for the Democratic caucus nomination for Speaker.[16] Despite losing her party's nomination for Speaker, in February 2022, Bynum was the first Black person in Oregon's history to receive votes for Speaker of the House when she received four votes for Speaker.[17] [18] [19]

In 2022, following redistricting, Bynum was drawn into the 39th District which no longer included East Portland and parts of Gresham and instead covered parts of unincorporated Clackamas County.[20] Though the race was considered competitive by The Oregonian in early November 2022,[21] she ultimately defeated Republican candidate Kori Haynes by a 10-point margin.

As of 2023 Bynum served as chair of the House Committee on Economic Development and Small Business.

2024 congressional campaign

On June 21, 2023, Bynum announced she would seek the Democratic nomination for Oregon's 5th congressional district, a seat currently held by her 2016 and 2018 Republican opponent Lori Chavez-DeRemer.[22] In January 2024, the DCCC named Bynum to its "Red to Blue" program, giving her access to increased fundraising, training, and guidance from the national Democratic Party.[23] On May 21, 2024, Bynum defeated Jamie McLeod-Skinner in the Democratic primary.[24]

Personal life

Bynum and her husband, Mark, have four children.[1] They own several McDonald's franchises in the Portland area.[25] [26] She is a Christian.[3]

Electoral history

2016

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State Representative Janelle Bynum. Democratic Party of Oregon. January 23, 2017. February 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202165816/http://dpo.org/people/janelle-bynum. dead.
  2. News: Janelle Bynum Brought Family Leave to East Portland McDonald's Workers. Jaquiss, Nigel. Nigel Jaquiss. Willamette Week. October 18, 2016. January 23, 2017. February 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202083123/http://www.wweek.com/news/2016/10/19/janelle-bynum-brought-family-leave-to-east-portland-mcdonalds-workers/. live.
  3. Web site: Janelle Bynum's Biography. Vote Smart. February 16, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202025133/https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/168102/janelle-bynum#.WIbTUrHMz6Y. February 2, 2017. live.
  4. Web site: Janelle Bynum -Higher Heights for America PAC . March 8, 2023 . www.higherheightsforamericapac.org . en . March 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230308021528/https://www.higherheightsforamericapac.org/blog/listing/janelle-bynum/ . live .
  5. Web site: Janelle Bynum . March 4, 2023 . Girls Like You and Me . en-US . March 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304013944/http://www.girlslikeyouandme.com/janelle-bynum . live .
  6. Web site: November 2, 2022 . The Only Black Woman in Oregon's House Tries To Keep Seat . March 4, 2023 . Governing . en . March 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304013949/https://www.governing.com/now/the-only-black-woman-in-oregons-house-tries-to-keep-seat . live .
  7. News: Democrats pick Janelle Bynum to challenge Happy Valley Mayor Lori Chavez-DeRemer for HD51. Portland Tribune. May 18, 2016. January 23, 2017. February 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202034225/http://www.pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/307076-185057-democrats-pick-janelle-bynum-to-challenge-happy-valley-mayor-lori-chavez-deremer-for-hd51. live.
  8. Web site: November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes. Oregon Secretary of State. January 21, 2017. September 22, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220922111443/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/RecordView/6873777. live.
  9. Web site: State Representative Janelle Bynum Breaks Records, Barriers. Sevcenko, Melanie. The Skanner. January 12, 2017. January 23, 2017. January 13, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170113170755/http://www.theskanner.com/news/northwest/24881-state-representative-janelle-bynum-breaks-records-barriers. live.
  10. News: Oregon's Most Expensive House Race Will End With Narrow Victory for Janelle Bynum. Jaquiss, Nigel. Nigel Jaquiss. Willamette Week. November 9, 2016. January 23, 2017. February 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202083133/http://www.wweek.com/news/2016/11/09/oregons-most-expensive-house-race-will-end-with-narrow-victory-for-jannelle-bynum/. live.
  11. Web site: The Road To Legislative Control In Oregon Leads Through The Suburbs. Lehman, Chris. Northwest News Network. October 31, 2016. January 23, 2017. February 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202032543/http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/road-legislative-control-oregon-leads-through-suburbs. live.
  12. News: Zaveri . Mihir . July 5, 2018 . A Black Oregon Lawmaker Was Knocking on Doors. Someone Called the Police. . . July 6, 2018 . July 5, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180705230029/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/us/janelle-bynum-police-portland.html . live .
  13. Web site: WW's November 2020 Endorsements: Oregon House . March 4, 2023 . Willamette Week . October 14, 2020 . en . October 25, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201025080742/https://www.wweek.com/news/2020/10/14/wws-november-2020-endorsements-oregon-house/ . live .
  14. Web site: Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek resigning to focus on governor's race . March 4, 2023 . opb . en . January 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220115230535/https://www.opb.org/article/2022/01/06/oregon-governors-race-house-speaker-tina-kotek-resigning/ . live .
  15. Web site: House Democrats will vote this weekend for likely next Oregon speaker . March 4, 2023 . opb . en . March 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304023528/https://www.opb.org/article/2022/01/14/house-democrats-vote-oregon-speaker-legislature/ . live .
  16. Web site: Rep. Dan Rayfield is likely to be Oregon's next House speaker . March 4, 2023 . opb . en . March 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304023529/https://www.opb.org/article/2022/01/17/rep-dan-rayfield-picked-by-democrats-oregon-house-speaker/ . live .
  17. Web site: Julia Shumway on X: "Rep. @DanRayfield is the next Speaker of the Oregon House. Final vote: 32 Rayfield, 18 Breese-Iverson, 4 Bynum. #orleg #orpol" . March 4, 2023 . Twitter . en . March 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304025031/https://twitter.com/JMShumway/status/1488553386488131594?s=20 . live .
  18. News: Radnovich . Connor . First day of session: Call for empathy, then a public protest . . February 2, 2022.
  19. Web site: Oregonian/OregonLive . Hillary Borrud The . February 2, 2022 . Oregon Democrats skipped chance to nominate first speaker of color. Secrecy makes it unclear why . February 17, 2024 . oregonlive . en . March 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304023525/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/02/oregon-democrats-skipped-chance-to-nominate-first-house-speaker-of-color-secrecy-makes-it-unclear-why.html . live .
  20. Web site: Oregonian/OregonLive . Aimee Green The . November 14, 2022 . Democratic Rep. Janelle Bynum wins re-election to Happy Valley seat . March 4, 2023 . oregonlive . en . March 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304023528/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/11/democratic-rep-janelle-bynum-wins-re-election-to-happy-valley-seat-fending-off-republican-kori-haynes.html . live .
  21. Web site: Oregonian/OregonLive . Aimee Green The . November 2, 2022 . Rep. Janelle Bynum works to win over new swath of Clackamas County voters in competitive House race against newcomer Kori Haynes . March 4, 2023 . oregonlive . en . March 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304023527/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/11/only-black-woman-in-oregon-house-works-to-win-over-new-swath-of-voters-in-clackamas-county.html . live .
  22. News: Jaquiss . Nigel . Nigel Jaquiss . June 21, 2023 . State Rep. Janelle Bynum Officially Enters 5th Congressional District Race . . February 17, 2024.
  23. News: Shumway. Julia. January 29, 2024. National Democratic campaign backs Janelle Bynum for Oregon's 5th District. Oregon Capital Chronicle. February 17, 2024.
  24. News: Dole . Bryce . May 21, 2024. Janelle Bynum defeats Jamie McLeod-Skinner in Democratic race for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District . Oregon Public Broadcasting. June 20, 2024.
  25. News: Monahan . Rachel . What’s It Like to Run a McDonald’s During a Pandemic? The Orders Get Larger. . March 21, 2024 . Willamette Week . December 2, 2020 . en.
  26. Web site: Janelle Bynum announces candidacy for the Oregon Legislature in House District 51. Greenidge, Jomo. Black PDX. March 13, 2016. January 23, 2017. February 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202014659/https://blackpdx.com/janelle-bynum-announces-candidacy-for-the-oregon-legislature-in-house-district-51/. live.

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