16 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 20
Christine Drazan won Oregon’s Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday, defeating Chris Dudley and Ed Diehl to secure a rematch with Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek.
The race revives their 2022 contest, which Kotek won by 3 percentage points in a three-way field after an independent candidate drew about 8% of the vote.
Kotek still enters the fall campaign with the edge as an incumbent in a heavily Democratic state, where Republicans have not won statewide office since 2002 or the governorship since 1982.
Drazan’s allies see an opening because Kotek has polled among the nation’s least popular governors, and key Democratic-aligned groups including the state’s largest teachers union declined to endorse her.
The contest is expected to sharpen around affordability, public safety and state governance, while Drazan’s conservative positions on abortion and transgender rights could test her appeal in liberal Oregon.
As Oregon's key challenges persist, how might a two-candidate race reshape the gubernatorial election's outcome compared to 2022?
With state challenges worsening, what new strategies are candidates using to appeal to voters beyond their traditional bases?
Can new policy proposals on homelessness and education sway Oregon voters more than established voting patterns in the upcoming election?