PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon’s race for governor will tap on voters’ vigilance as an unaffiliated candidate has more fundraising power than seen in recent history.
Tuesday’s primary election bled into Wednesday as issues in Clackamas County left tens of thousands of ballots uncounted, and thus the Republican primary race was up in the air. However, Christine Drazan was declared the winner by the Associated Press just after 6 p.m.
Drazan will take on former Speaker of the House Tina Kotek, the democratic nominee.
Usurping the traditional two-party race is former Democrat and former state senator Betsy Johnson, whose fundraising has the potential to make a real impact in the race.
“My candidacy represents a rare opportunity to put Oregon ahead of party,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s message of bipartisanship comes as Republicans also feel hopeful to take the Governor’s office from Democrats for the first time in 35 years. The last 10 years have seen Democrats with control of the Governor’s office, State House and State Senate.
“It’s long enough to be able to test some of the principles of single-party control. It has not resulted in a utopia,” Drazan said.
In her speech Tuesday night, Drazan painted Kotek and current Governor Kate Brown as one in the same. Kotek responded Wednesday saying she’s ‘never been comfortable with the status quo.”
“I am always going to keep pushing to stand up for people to fight for them to make sure they have what they need, wherever they live,” Kotek said.
The test for voters comes with how the three candidates will paint each other across the political spectrum. Johnson called Kotek and Drazan the “two extremes.” Drazan said Kotek and Johnson were “along for the ride” with Governor Brown. Kotek said Drazan and Johnson are more conservative and “out of step with the values of most Oregonians.”
Several polls have shown voters are disaffected with current state leadership, with homelessness and public safety two of the top issues.
In a new campaign ad, Johnson says she wants to take the best of both parties’ ideas on the issue, saying she is in favor of providing wrap-around services but wants to emphasize ‘personal responsibility.’
“We’ve got to put in place measures that don’t just keep perpetuating that it’s okay to stay on the streets. We have got to get these tent cities broken down and get people into services that they need,” she said.
The candidates do agree on some pieces of the homeless issue, such as the large sums of money that have been spent, haven’t been borne out in results. All three say their first actions would be convening leaders around houselessness, local governments, and state agencies to come up with better solutions.
Kotek says mental health is a good place to start.
“When you’re ready to get out of addiction and into sobriety, we have to make sure your mental health and addiction services are there for you. We’re not there right now, that is not an acceptable situation,” Kotek said.
The three also agree on more presence from the Governor’s office on the issue of homelessness than what has been seen, or not seen, recently.
Drazan says localities need to enforce the laws they have around camping.
“When I talk about how I’m going to lead on this issue, it is to establish a relationship with Portland that sets expectations, that will in fact mean that they are not just encouraged to help clear their streets. I will be a partner with them in that work,” Drazan said.
As shootings and homicides have drastically risen in Portland and other communities across the state, public safety has become more of a focus for Oregon voters.
Johnson and Drazan do fall on the same line in saying defunding police is a mistake.
“We will support local law enforcement to ensure that they have the tools they need to stop violent crime and make our neighborhoods and communities more safe,” Drazan told supporters Tuesday night.
Johson supports accountability and says law enforcement needs to work “hand in glove” with mental health and addiction.
“We’ve got to get more officers on the street and they have to be empowered to d with the situations that come before them with adequate professional training across all of the disciplines.”
Kotek says how law enforcement is trained could be a start at reform and suggested adding more training classes for more officers to be trained. Kotek also believes it’s about more options, not just more officers.
“We need to make sure that police can respond to the violent crimes and make sure we have other professionals on the streets who can help people in a mental health crisis or address an issue like property crime that doesn’t involve a situation where there’s violence,” she said.