(The Guardian) Democrats are also on the back foot in Oregon, Hallie Golden reports, raising questions of whether they can maintain their longstanding hold on the Pacific coast state’s governor’s mansion: For the first time in more than 40 years, a Republican could win the governor’s seat in Oregon, breaching the seemingly solid Democratic line of states running along the Pacific coastline of the US.
The tight race between former Oregon House speaker Tina Kotek, a Democrat, and former Oregon House minority leader Christine Drazan, a Republican, which in the latest polling showed Drazan with a hairline lead, indicates a rebuff of the current term-limited liberal governor, Kate Brown.
Brown has one of the lowest approval ratings of any governor in the country amid brewing concern over how state leadership has handled everything from the pandemic to homelessness.
But it’s a third-party candidate with support from both Republicans and Democrats, along with contributions from the richest man in the state, that have truly set a Republican on a path toward possible victory.
“Democrats are pretty good at running a red-blue race in Oregon … But the dynamics of a three-way race have really kind of thrown that playbook out the window,” said Jake Weigler, a progressive political strategist in Oregon not involved in the race.
www.theguardian.com
The tight race between former Oregon House speaker Tina Kotek, a Democrat, and former Oregon House minority leader Christine Drazan, a Republican, which in the latest polling showed Drazan with a hairline lead, indicates a rebuff of the current term-limited liberal governor, Kate Brown.
Brown has one of the lowest approval ratings of any governor in the country amid brewing concern over how state leadership has handled everything from the pandemic to homelessness.
But it’s a third-party candidate with support from both Republicans and Democrats, along with contributions from the richest man in the state, that have truly set a Republican on a path toward possible victory.
“Democrats are pretty good at running a red-blue race in Oregon … But the dynamics of a three-way race have really kind of thrown that playbook out the window,” said Jake Weigler, a progressive political strategist in Oregon not involved in the race.
Oregon could see first Republican governor in 40 years as polls tilt away from Democrats
Independent hopeful with bipartisan support, along with funds from state’s richest man, could deliver victory to Republican
www.theguardian.com
