Kotek holds lead over Drazan as Oregon votes in governor's race

Gov. Tina Kotek leads former state Sen. Christine Drazan in partial returns from Tuesday's gubernatorial election. Early data shows Kotek with 54.4% of the vote compared to Drazan's 43%. Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith holds 2.5% of the count. These figures reflect an estimated 35% of all ballots cast as of 8:00 p.m.

The contest serves as a partial rematch of the 2022 race. That election featured Kotek, Drazan, and former state Sen. Betsy Johnson in a three-way contest. Since 1986, Democrats have won every Oregon governor's race. If Kotek retains her lead, the party extends that four-decade streak.

Polling in the weeks before the election suggested a close contest. Forecasters including the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections downgraded the race from solid Democratic to lean Democratic. This shift occurred as Drazan highlighted Kotek's low approval ratings. Drazan argued the governor failed to fix the state's housing shortage, improve education, and expand behavioral health services.

Kotek countered by linking Drazan to the policies of President Donald Trump. Democrats warned that a Republican governor would support federal immigration enforcement and reduce healthcare benefits. In response, Drazan emphasized her commitment to protecting Oregon's sanctuary laws and mail-in voting systems.

Kotek, who served as the state's longest-serving House speaker, won office in 2022 with a focus on passing Democratic priorities. She has since worked to expand the social safety net and create regional networks to address homelessness. She has acknowledged that progress on these goals has been slower than expected. "If anything, I've learned in this first term the wheels of change are probably a little slower than I am happy with," she told OPB recently.

Drazan, born in Klamath Falls, graduated from George Fox University in Newberg. She worked as a staffer for Republican leaders in Salem before becoming House Republican Leader in 2019. Drazan ran for governor in 2022 and was appointed to the state Senate in 2025. She is the mother of three children.

Both candidates continue to campaign as election officials work through the remaining ballots. The final outcome will depend on the count from late-arriving mail-in and provisional ballots across the state.