Republicans vying to unseat Bentz, Merkley fire off in Pendleton
Perkins discussed her reasons for running and proposed making unlawful entry into the United States a felony.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYEast Oregonian is an established regional newspaper, and the article reports directly from a local candidate forum with attributed quotations. The page provides no author byline, and the text offers limited sourcing beyond the event and a general reference to studies.
- Source type — Established local news outlet with a regional reporting focus.
- Editorial standards — The report uses attributed quotations and distinguishes candidates’ claims from the article’s factual context.
- Author attribution — No author is identified in the article information.
- Transparency — The event and host are identified, but the article gives few details about its supporting research.
The report gives direct quotations from several candidates and useful context about the SAVE Act, including a qualification of one candidate’s voter-fraud claim. It offers little independent detail on the cited studies and reflects a single-party forum rather than a range of opposing perspectives.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article gives several candidates space to explain their positions and includes a factual qualification on voter fraud. Because the event was a Republican forum, it does not include views from Democratic candidates or other opposing voices.
- Source diversity — Multiple Republican candidates are quoted, but the forum and article do not present opposing-party candidates.
- Counterarguments presented — Larson raises concerns about the SAVE Act, and the article qualifies McAlmond’s voter-fraud claim.
- Loaded language — The article generally attributes pointed language to the candidates who used it.
- Omitted context — The report gives limited broader context on the bill and the studies it references.
The article is a mostly straightforward account of a Republican candidate forum, quoting candidates and adding a factual qualification to a voter-fraud claim. Its framing does not show a discernible partisan lean.
- Language tone — Mostly descriptive language and attributed quotations.
- Source selection — The article reports on a Republican Party forum, so its quoted candidates are Republicans; that reflects the event being covered.
- Framing — The voter-fraud claim is qualified with a note about studies finding fraud rare.
- Headline — The headline describes candidates speaking at the event without an evident ideological judgment.
At a Pendleton forum, Republican candidates running against Cliff Bentz and Jeff Merkley discussed election rules and immigration. They broadly supported the SAVE Act, while Peter Larson raised concerns about its costs and burdens on some voters.
Republican House candidate Peter Larson criticized Cliff Bentz’s access to constituents and said the SAVE Act could burden some voters, including people who have changed their names and rural residents. The article describes the act as requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections and requiring states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. The candidates at the forum supported it, though Larson also raised concerns about the cost of obtaining documents and states’ role in running elections.
Senate candidates Jo Rae Perkins, Russ McAlmond and David Brock Smith discussed their campaigns and immigration. McAlmond said voter fraud had been proven many times, while the article notes that reliable studies show it is rare. Perkins proposed making unlawful entry a felony; McAlmond supported deportations and restricting sanctuary jurisdictions; Smith opposed Oregon’s sanctuary status; and Larson said the immigration system was broken.
Community verdict
8 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Republican House candidate challenging Cliff Bentz
Larson's version of this story ↗Oregon state senator and Republican Senate candidate seeking to challenge Jeff Merkley
Smith's version of this story ↗Republican Senate candidate seeking to challenge Jeff Merkley
McAlmond's version of this story ↗Representative and incumbent Larson is challenging
Republican House candidate challenging Cliff Bentz
Senator and incumbent the Republican candidates hope to challenge
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