US Midterms: Oregon Could See First GOP Gov. In Decades

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Oct 27, 2022

Image copyright: Oregon Public Broadcasterstory last updated Oct 28, 2022

The Facts

According to the polling average on FiveThirtyEight, Oregonians might choose a Republican governor for the first time in 40 years as former Oregon House GOP leader Christine Drazan and former Democratic Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek are in a neck-and-neck race. Independent Betsy Johnson is also in the three-way race.
As of Thursday morning, both candidates had a 50% chance of winning as aggregate polls showed a tie at 41.4% in the popular vote. This forecast is based on polls conducted by eight different pollsters.

The Spin

Democratic narrative

This is one of the most important gubernatorial races in this midterm election. If Drazan wins, it would be disastrous for climate policy, and democracy could be threatened as alt-right militias are supporting her. The deeply unethical GOP "third-candidate strategy" is also a way of undermining the integrity of democracy.

Vox

Republican narrative

Oregonians seem to have finally realized that its woke liberal governance has drifted the state into chaos. If elected, Drazan will address homelessness and tackle the drug addiction crisis by restoring law and order statewide. She would be the first Republican governor in Oregon since 1982 — which was also the start of the historic Reagan Revolution.