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<p><span style="font-weight:400">A new poll has Republican Christine Drazan narrowly leading Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek in deep-blue Oregon, giving the GOP challenger a 2-point edge with less than two months to go before Election Day.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">The Sept. 11 </span><a href="https://www.oregonjournalismproject.org/new-poll-shows-drazan-with-slight-lead-in-governors-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight:400">DHM Research survey</span></a><span style="font-weight:400"> of 600 likely voters in Oregon found Drazan leading Kotek 45% to 43%, with Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith clocking in at 4%. About 13% remain undecided, and Drazan’s lead falls within the 4-point margin of error.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">The poll was conducted by Portland-based DHM Research for the business-backed group Grow Oregon, giving Republicans fresh hope of flipping the governor’s mansion in a state that has elected Democratic governors in every election since 1986.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">“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,” Trey Rosser, Drazan’s campaign strategist, told the</span><a href="https://www.oregonjournalismproject.org/new-poll-shows-drazan-with-slight-lead-in-governors-race?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span style="font-weight:400">Oregon Journalism Project</span></a><span style="font-weight:400">. “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.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Despite the optimism, history — and political gravity — still pose significant challenges for Drazan. Oregon is a reliably blue state, and Kotek </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-oregon.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight:400">defeated</span></a><span style="font-weight:400"> Drazan in 2022, 47% to 43.5%, while independent candidate Betsy Johnson captured nearly 9% of the vote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">This time, the GOP hopes Green Party candidate </span><a href="https://www.pacificgreens.org/meet_the_candidates_for_nomination_brett_smith" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight:400">Brett Smith</span></a><span style="font-weight:400"> can peel away some of Portland’s left-wing base angry with the status quo and the Democratic establishment, potentially helping Drazan capitalize on a divided Democratic vote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">The fresh poll also offers a snapshot of why Kotek could face a competitive reelection fight. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they disapprove of her job performance, compared with 37% who approve, according to the Oregon Journalism Project. Nearly 60% said Oregon is headed in the wrong direction.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Affordability is top of mind for Oregon voters, with 87% saying it is an “extremely” or “very” important issue, followed by K-12 education at 85% and housing affordability at 78%. </span><span style="font-weight:400">Despite the outcry over data centers, the issue ranks below several other concerns, with 50% of respondents calling it “extremely” or “very” important. Taxes and homelessness each registered at 77%, while 73% cited crime as a top concern.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Kotek has faced increasing criticism over several controversies during her first term, The Daily Wire previously reported. In 2024, public records revealed that her administration had explored creating a formal “Office of the First Spouse” for her wife, Aimee Kotek Wilson. Senior staff had raised concerns about the proposal, and Kotek ultimately abandoned plans for a formal office after public scrutiny.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">At the same time, many of the priorities Kotek campaigned on in 2022 have shown </span><a href="https://www.governing.com/politics/tina-koteks-complicated-road-to-re-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight:400">little measurable progress</span></a><span style="font-weight:400">. The governor pledged to dramatically increase housing production to address Oregon’s affordability crisis, setting a goal of building 36,000 new housing units annually. Instead, the state has continued to fall well short of that benchmark, The Daily Wire reported. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">The</span><a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479576?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span style="font-weight:400">Cook Political Report</span></a><span style="font-weight:400"> rates the Oregon governor’s race as lean Democrat. </span></p>
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<br /><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shock-poll-gop-challenger-edges-dem-governor-in-deep-blue-state">Source link </a></p>
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GOP Challenger Edges Dem Governor In Deep-Blue State
