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DeFazio Beats Back Hefty Challenge From Skarlatos, Wins 18th Term

Brian Bull
/
KLCC

U.S. Democratic lawmaker Peter DeFazio remains the longest serving member of Congress representing Oregon.  The 73-year-old politician fought off a robust challenge from Republican Alek Skarlatos.

DeFazio says he’ll work with the President – which he adds hopefully means Joe Biden – to focus on a long-standing goal: nationwide infrastructure development. 

"I’ve already been in touch with Joe Biden, he wants to do an infrastructure bill in early February.  One that both defossilizes transportation, the largest carbon polluter in the United States of America, and rebuild a resilient, 21st century transportation system.”

DeFazio was first elected in 1986.  He chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which he joined in 2013. 

Skarlatos had outraised DeFazio by nearly a million dollars, but failed to unseat him. DeFazio will begin his 18th term in Congress come January. 

Copyright 2020, KLCC.

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.
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