Despite Oregon’s reputation as a liberal bastion, the race for governor has developed into a three-way struggle between Democrat Tina Kotek, Republican Christine Drazan, and independent Betsy Johnson.
Oregon’s governorship has been held by Democrats since 1987, and President Biden won the state by 16 percentage points in 2020. In addition, a Kotek victory would be historic, as she and Maura Healey in Massachusetts would be the first openly lesbian governors in the country. Kotek was elected the first openly lesbian speaker of a state legislature in 2013.
However, Drazan, 50, poses a threat to the almost four-decade Democratic gubernatorial hegemony in Oregon, as Johnson draws left-leaning voters away from Kotek.
On Election Day, Kotek has a slight edge over Drazan, according to recent polls.