The willamette valley from the Oregon/Washington border, south on I-5 to just past Eugene/Corvallis, and 50 miles east or west on either side of I-5, is a small geographic area of the state, but has enough population that it controls the political direction of the state. Most of the large colleges/universities are within that area.
Washington state has the same thing from close to the Canadian border, heading south on I-5 to about 40 miles south of Olympia, and 50 miles east and west of I-5.
It would be interesting if both states could carve out those areas, and allow them to be Oregon #2, and Washington #2, with separate Senators and congressmen. The citizens of the larger geographic areas of both states are essentially left without adequate representation at both the state and federal level.