Oregon’s steady growth lands it an additional U.S. House seat Sara Cline Steady population growth, driven by newcomers streaming in from other states, is giving Oregon greater national political clout. U.S. Census Bureau figures released Monday show the state’s population expanded over the past decade enough to give it an additional congressional district for the first time in 40 years. Expanding its U.S. House seats from five to six won't necessarily be a win for Democrats, who control the state politically and hold all but one of the current seats. “The real quandary for Democrats is that Oregon is much more of a competitive state than you would think,” said Priscilla Southwell, a political science professor at the University of Oregon.