Janelle Bynum
Janelle Bynum | |
---|---|
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 51st district | |
Assumed office January 9, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Shemia Fagan |
Personal details | |
Born | 1974 or 1975 (age 49–50) Washington, D.C. |
Political party | Democratic |
Alma mater | Florida A&M University (BA) University of Michigan (MA) |
Janelle S. Bynum (born 1974/75) is an American Democratic politician currently serving in the Oregon House of Representatives. She represents the 51st district, which covers southern Multnomah County and northern Clackamas County, including the southeasternmost part of Portland, most of Happy Valley and Damascus, and the surrounding area.
Early life and education
Bynum grew up in Washington, D.C..[1][2] She graduated with a bachelor's degree from Florida A&M University in 1996 and with a master's degree from the University of Michigan in 2000.[3]
Career
Bynum won the Democratic primary for the state House in 2016 over Randy Shannon, a former member of the Damascus City Council, receiving 66% of the vote.[4] In the general election, she defeated Republican candidate Lori Chavez-Deremer, the mayor of Happy Valley, with 51% of the vote in what was considered one of the most competitive House races for the 2016 cycle.[5][6][7][8]
Bynum, who is black, was reported to the police as a "suspicious person" while canvassing a neighborhood in her district in 2018.[9]
Personal life
Bynum and her husband, Mark, have four children. They own two restaurants in the area. She is a Christian.[1][3][10]
References
- ^ a b "State Representative Janelle Bynum". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ Jaquiss, Nigel (October 18, 2016). "Janelle Bynum Brought Family Leave to East Portland McDonald's Workers". Willamette Week. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ a b "Janelle Bynum's Biography". Project VoteSmart. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ "Democrats pick Janelle Bynum to challenge Happy Valley Mayor Lori Chavez-DeRemer for HD51". Portland Tribune. May 18, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ "November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ Sevcenko, Melanie (January 12, 2017). "State Representative Janelle Bynum Breaks Records, Barriers". The Skanner. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ Jaquiss, Nigel (November 9, 2016). "Oregon's Most Expensive House Race Will End With Narrow Victory for Janelle Bynum". Willamette Week. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ Lehman, Chris (October 31, 2016). "The Road To Legislative Control In Oregon Leads Through The Suburbs". Northwest News Network. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ Zaveri, Mihir (5 July 2018). "A Black Oregon Lawmaker Was Knocking on Doors. Someone Called the Police". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ Greenidge, Jomo (March 13, 2016). "Janelle Bynum announces candidacy for the Oregon Legislature in House District 51". Black PDX. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
External links
- 1970s births
- Living people
- People from Happy Valley, Oregon
- Members of the Oregon House of Representatives
- Politicians from Washington, D.C.
- Oregon Democrats
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- Women state legislators in Oregon
- African-American state legislators in Oregon
- African-American women in politics
- University of Michigan alumni
- Florida A&M University alumni