PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s November gubernatorial election, which is usually a one-sided victory for the Democratic party, is setting up to be a competitive and contentious three-way race.
Former Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek won the Democratic nomination for Oregon governor on Tuesday.
In November she will face former state House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, who won the GOP gubernatorial primary, as well as nonaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson. As a nonaffiliated candidate, Johnson did not need to run in a primary race to make the fall ballot.
Republicans see an opening with the three-way race. Oregonians have not voted a GOP candidate into the governor’s mansion in 35 years. But there is the potential of votes being split between the progressive Kotek and former Democratic state senator Johnson.
The Associated Press reports Democrats and unaffiliated voters each account for about 34% of registered voters in the state while Republicans make up about 25%.
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Travis Pittman contributed to this report.
