Republican Christine Drazan holds a slight lead over Democrat Gov. Tina Kotek in Oregon’s governor’s race as the GOP seeks its first gubernatorial victory in the state since 1982.
The DHM Research poll found Drazan leading Kotek by two points, 45% to 43%. Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith received 4%, while 13% of voters remain undecided, Oregon Journalism Project reported.
DHM Research surveyed 600 likely voters for Grow Oregon, a business-backed group, on September 11. Drazan’s lead falls within the poll’s four-point margin of error.
“This poll confirms what we already see on the ground: Oregonians are ready for change, and they see Christine as the leader who can deliver it,” Drazan campaign strategist Trey Rosser said.
“Four years ago, Tina Kotek made big promises on homelessness, housing, education, and affordability, but today, Oregonians are paying more, getting less, and watching the same problems get worse,” he added.
The poll also found that 59% of voters disapprove of Kotek’s job performance, compared with 37% who approve. About 58% said Oregon is headed in the wrong direction.
Affordability ranked as the top concern among voters at 87%, followed by K–12 education at 85% and housing affordability at 78%. Taxes and homelessness each received 77%, while crime stood at 73%.
Drazan also led in some polls during the 2022 campaign before Kotek pulled ahead late in the race. Kotek defeated Drazan 47% to 43.5%, while unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson received nearly 9%.
Kotek’s campaign pointed to the number of undecided voters and sought to connect Drazan to President Donald Trump.
“There are still a lot of voters who are undecided in this race, but the choice couldn’t be any clearer,” Kotek campaign spokesman Federico Araujo said. “Christine Drazan is ready to open the door to Trump’s agenda, and Gov. Kotek is fighting every day to protect Oregonians from federal overreach and harm.”
Kotek has raised nearly $12 million since the beginning of last year and has $8.2 million available, according to state campaign finance filings. Drazan has raised $9.4 million and has $2.4 million on hand after facing a competitive Republican primary.
The candidates are scheduled to hold their first debate on October 1 at the University of Oregon. Election Day is November 3.
The last Republican to win an Oregon governor’s election was Victor Atiyeh in 1982. He was reelected that year and served until January 1987. Every governor elected since then has been a Democrat, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s official history.
