Walden's district is overwhelmingly Republican in voter registration (Republicans outnumber Democrats 191,000 to 146,000), so whoever wins the GOP is highly likely to win the general election and become the only Republican member of the state's congressional delegation. That opportunity also attracted two other former GOP lawmakers, former state Sens. Jason Atkinson (R-Central Point) and Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario) and a well-funded newcomer, Jimmy Crumpacker, as well as several other candidates.