EUGENE, Oregon (May 19, 2026) - Monique DeSpain won the Republican primary for Oregon’s 4th Congressional District tonight by far and away margins, earning the party’s nomination to challenge incumbent Congresswoman Val Hoyle in the November 3rd general election.
“The people of Oregon are ready for change, they are ready for leadership, and they are tired of career politicians gaslighting and ignoring them,” DeSpain said. “Tonight, our district sent a clear message: it is time to deploy someone with a heart for service and integrity. I am honored by their trust, and I will not let them down.”
DeSpain brings a record of service that no career politician can match. A retired Air Force Colonel with 30 years of military service, she served as a JAG Corps attorney with multiple overseas deployments, earning a reputation for demanding accountability and fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. In her civilian legal career, she has represented crime victims and Oregon business owners — the people Val Hoyle consistently leaves behind.
The contrast with Val Hoyle could not be sharper. While DeSpain was practicing law and defending American interests, Hoyle was playing musical chairs with Oregon’s other corrupt career politicians, Tina Kotek, Shamia Fagan, and Kate Brown, all of whom have delivered a completely failed government. More recently, in 2025, Hoyle was fined for violating the Stock Act trading 215 stocks, including defense contractor stocks, without disclosure as required by federal law, strong-arming a $500,000 grant earmarked for a cannabis company under federal investigation, and voting to shut down the federal government, including the TSA. Meanwhile, Oregon families and businesses are suffering from a rampant and worsening homelessness and addiction crisis and businesses are fleeing the state while the current federal representative is more focused on her own financial interests than theirs.
“Val Hoyle has had her chance, and she has failed our district, especially working families,” DeSpain said. “Come November, the voters will have a clear choice: more of the same corrupt career politician’s excuses and lies, or a real leader who has actually deployed in service to this country and knows what it means to be honest, accountable, and deliver results.”
The DeSpain campaign enters the general election with a strong fundraising foundation and incredible grass roots momentum, ready to contest this district that national analysts have identified as one of the most competitive in Oregon, and a top race in the country.