KLCC News

"We out worked 'em!" Val Hoyle credits volunteers for her 4th District win over Republican opponent

KLCC | By Tiffany Eckert

Published November 9, 2022 at 3:56 AM PST

Around 9pm on election night, with a healthy lead in Oregon's 4th Congressional race, Val Hoyle made a speech thanking Rep. Peter DeFazio, volunteers and campaign supporters, and her dad. — With a healthy lead in Oregon's 4th Congressional race around 8:30 pm on election night, Val Hoyle made a victory speech thanking Rep. Peter DeFazio, campaign volunteers, and her dad.

With votes still trickling in for Oregon’s 4^th Congressional District seat—Democratic candidate Val Hoyle made a victory speech last night, before a plucky crowd of supporters at a union hall in Springfield.

Val Holye grabbed the mic and assumed victory about an hour after polls closed in Oregon. Hoyle's lead over opponent Alek Skarlatos is displayed on the screen behind her.

To cheerful applause, Val Hoyle took the microphone.

“I am so very proud to be able to represent you in Congress. Thanks to every single one of you who volunteered- because they outspent us, they lied. But we told the truth. We out worked ‘em. Because we have the heart,” she said.

Glancing at the big screen displaying her solid election night lead over Republican opponent Alek Scarlatos. Hoyle hugged her dad and then pointed to outgoing U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio. “It’ll be impossible to fill these shoes,” Hoyle said. “But I want to say, I am so very proud. So very proud.”

On Election night, Val Hoyle stands with her dad, Dan Toomey, as she thanks supporters with her campaign for Oregon's U.S. Representative from the 4th District.

DeFazio told KLCC the early results for the candidate he endorsed shows that “voters are seeing through the ’Skarlatos façade’-- him pretending he’s a moderate instead of a full-on Trump MAGA.”

First elected to Congress in 1986, Peter DeFazio is the longest-serving congressional member in Oregon history. He endorsed Val Hoyle for his seat in the U.S. House representing the 4th Congressional District.

Having served 36 years in Oregon’s 4^th Congressional District seat, DeFazio still has a couple of "big bills" in the lame duck session. And he said he’s not done with politics in general. “I’ve ‘gotta still stay engaged and involved and try and help us in 2024 to make sure we don’t have a comeback of Trump and the end of representative democracy.”

Lane County Commissioner Laurie Trieger said she was excited to show up for “our next Congresswoman Val Hoyle.” She was also happy to see a number of other local results coming in, including the Lane County Parks levy.

Lane County Commissioner Laurie Trieger and Oregon State Senator Floyd Prozanski check election results at Val Hoyle's campaign watch event on Tuesday evening.

Trieger gave a shout out to new Lane County Elections Clerk, Dena Dawson. “She hit the ground running and has done an incredible job with the transparency and the offering up of information-- with real clarity about why that’s the information when,” Trieger said.

A table full of pizza at Val Hoyle's campaign event at the UA Local 290 Training Center in Springfield on election night.

Though out the evening, there were lots of hugs and fist bumps between Val Hoyle and her enthusiastic supporters. Behind the scenes, Val’s husband of 31 years, Stephen Hoyle, said he’s been cautiously optimistic throughout this race and now he’s excited for her. “It’s what she really wants to do,” he said.