The 2010 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 2, 2010 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Ron Wyden won re-election to a third full term by a landslide margin of 18 points, despite the national Republican midterm wave. As of 2022, this is the only senate election since 1998 in which Deschutes County has not supported the Democratic candidate (albeit by a plurality).
Wyden, a popular incumbent with a 52% approval rating in a July poll,[6] touted bipartisanship and promised to hold town-hall meetings annually in each of Oregon's 36 counties and to open offices outside of Portland and Salem.[7] A Survey USA poll taken a few days before the election showed that 23% of Republicans supported Wyden.[8]
Huffman, widely considered as an underdog, financed his own campaign. He defended bonuses for Wall Street executives and questioned global warming.[9]
The first debate took place on October 21, 2010 in Medford, Oregon and was broadcast by KOBI-TV. Only the two major-party candidates, Huffman and Wyden, participated in the debate.[10] The second debate, which was hosted by the City Club of Portland at the Governor Hotel, took place on October 22. The debate played live on KOIN and re-aired on Oregon Public Broadcasting later that night.[11]
