Tina Kotek Leads Christine Drazan in Oregon Governor's Race and Declares Victory; Drazan Not Conceding

Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek holds a clear lead over Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan in Oregon’s race for governor and declared victory Tuesday night, Nov. 3. But Drazan has not conceded, and ballot counting in Oregon will continue for days.

Who has called it depends on the outlet. CBS News projected Kotek the winner, KOIN reported, and Decision Desk HQ called the race for her at 11:08 p.m. ET, according to The Advocate. The Associated Press had not called the race, KATU reported, and AP vote data still listed the race as too early to call as of about 1:30 a.m. ET Wednesday.

Where the count stands

Oregon votes by mail, and The Oregonian reported that ballot counting will continue for days, so the totals will keep moving.

• Around 9:30 p.m. PT Tuesday: Kotek had 52% to Drazan’s 45%, with Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith at about 2.5%. Kotek led by roughly 100,000 votes, The Oregonian reported.
• Early Wednesday: AP data showed Kotek at about 52.4% and Drazan at about 44.9%, with roughly two-thirds of the expected vote counted.

Kotek: “I am proud to stand here as your next governor”

Kotek declared victory shortly after 9:20 p.m. at an election party in downtown Portland. “I am proud to stand here as your next governor,” she said, adding, “I hope it’s okay that we have four more years together,” according to The Oregonian.

In her speech, Kotek pointed to work on homelessness, housing, mental health and schools and pledged to keep pushing back on the Trump administration, KOIN reported.

Drazan: “We will not go quietly”

Drazan spoke to supporters in Hillsboro shortly after 10 p.m. and urged patience. “All the votes haven’t been counted, and I am continuing to pray for the victory for us,” she said, according to KATU. “This place deserves a fight,” she said, adding that the race “isn’t over” and that “we will not go quietly,” The Oregonian reported.

If Drazan were to win, she would be the first Republican elected governor of Oregon since Vic Atiyeh in 1982, KATU noted.

A rematch in a closer-than-expected state

This was a rematch of 2022, when Kotek beat Drazan by about 3.5 points in a three-way race that also included unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson, according to KOIN.

Polling this year showed a tight race. KOIN cited a late-September Oregon Public Broadcasting poll with Drazan at 46% and Kotek at 44%, within the margin of error, and The Oregonian said five polls in recent months showed the two statistically tied before Kotek appeared to gain late.

Key issues, per The Oregonian’s reporting:

• Kotek’s record: laws to spur housing construction, oversee homeless shelters, prioritize early literacy and expand behavioral health care
• Drazan’s pitch: lower taxes, fewer regulations and more accountability for state agencies, arguing Democrats have made Oregon too hard to live in
• Trump: Kotek repeatedly tied Drazan to the president, who is unpopular in Oregon, while Drazan treaded carefully around him

Each candidate raised more than $21 million, The Oregonian reported.

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