I'm an Oregonian. Art Robinson is well-known locally as either a wingnut or a genius scientist, depending mostly on whether you've actually scrutinized his words. His research might well be scientifically meaningful, but a lot of things he's advocated for are pseudoscience, and he doesn't come across well in discussions when he's cross-examined on his prior publications.

As far as politics goes, he did not pick a great district to try to run for. The incumbent, Peter DeFazio (D), is beloved in the area for his populist attitude and progressive voting record; the Eugene/Springfield/Corvallis/Albany metro population consists largely of aging hippies and college students, and he's been consistently elected since the 1980s.