Is Oregon Senator Merkley running for re-election? Senator responds to 2026 rumors

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – As Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) approaches the end of his third term in 2026, it is not clear if he’s running for re-election or plans to retire from Congress.

When asked whether he planned to run for re-election in an interview with KOIN 6 News on Wednesday, the 68-year-old senator said, “My wife Mary and I make the decision every six years, as we always do. There seems to be an inordinate interest in accelerating that decision, when doing what I do every time, and we’ll make the decision on our own timeline.”

Questions regarding Merkley’s intentions to run for re-election began as website domains appear to hint at potential Senate runs by some Oregon lawmakers including Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-01), Maxine Dexter (D-03), Janelle Bynum (D-05), and Andrea Salinas (D-06) along with Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read. Those website domains include AndreaSalinasforSenate.com, SuzanneBonamiciforSenate.com, JanelleBynumforSenate.com,  MaxineDexterforSenate.com, and TobiasforSenate.com, as first reported by The Oregonian.

While it is unclear who owns the domains, a spokesperson for Rep. Bonamici’s campaign told KOIN 6 News that the congresswoman’s campaign did not buy the domain, noting Bonamici plans to run for re-election for Oregon’s First Congressional District.

“I guess if I decide not to run again, Mary and I make that decision, they can all have a fine time competing,” Merkley told KOIN 6 in response to the domains. “But I haven’t. We haven’t made that decision. So, it’s interesting and strange that they’re buying up websites.”

In a statement to KOIN 6 News, Congresswoman Dexter’s Campaign Advisor Reed Adamson said, “Congresswoman Dexter is busy fighting against Trump’s attacks on working families, not buying campaign URLs.”

KOIN 6 News has reached out to the campaigns of Congresswomen Bynum and Salinas along with Secretary Read. This story will be updated if we receive a response.

For 78-year-old Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, a spokesperson told KOIN 6 News “Senator Wyden fully intends to run for re-election in 2028.”