In the political landscape of Oregon’s 5th District, Republican Patti Adair is positioning herself as a candidate focused on reducing living costs. However, her support for a policy that could see millions lose Medicaid coverage casts a shadow over her affordability message.
Currently serving as a Deschutes County commissioner since 2019, Adair is set to challenge Democratic Rep. Janelle Bynum. Her campaign has recently drawn attention due to her endorsement of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), a significant legislative move spearheaded during President Donald Trump’s second term.
In June 2025, Adair’s X account echoed sentiments from Republican Senators Markwayne Mullin and Rick Scott, highlighting OBBB as a key achievement. The act, aimed at cutting taxes for affluent individuals, involves substantial federal budget reductions, including a $1 trillion cut from Medicaid. This change threatens the health coverage of approximately 12 million Americans, with 206,000 potentially affected in Adair’s district alone.
Senator Rick Scott’s statement on Medicaid suggested that reducing enrollees would combat fraud, a claim contradicted by various studies indicating that fraud primarily stems from healthcare providers rather than recipients, as noted by analyses.
The Medicaid cuts are also expected to financially impact rural hospitals and healthcare providers. For instance, Oregon’s 5th District could see a loss of $55 million over ten years, with St. Charles Medical Center in Bend facing a reduction of nearly $23 million.
The OBBB’s ramifications extend beyond Medicaid, affecting Obamacare as well. Tax credits that reduce the cost of Affordable Care Act plans have been allowed to lapse, which, along with Medicaid cuts, may result in 26,500 individuals in Adair’s district losing their health coverage. Adair has previously advocated for the complete repeal of Obamacare, as evidenced by her 2017 post demanding its immediate repeal.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act also proposes cutting $186 billion from SNAP, affecting the food security of over 42 million Americans.
In contrast, Rep. Janelle Bynum has opposed the OBBB, emphasizing the necessity of safeguarding Medicaid. Her campaign website states, “No person should be a medical emergency away from bankruptcy, but sadly that happens all too often in our country. We need Congress to act—and that starts with protecting Medicare, expanding Medicaid, and lowering the cost of prescription drug prices.”
Patti Adair has been a steadfast supporter of Trump, even serving as a delegate for his 2016 presidential bid, as reported by Woodburn Independent.
