PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Not much is known about the President’s visit to Oregon at the end of this week, but one thing is for sure, he will be stumping for Democratic candidate for governor Tina Kotek.
President Joe Biden will be in the state Friday and Saturday with a campaign event for Kotek on Saturday.
Polls from DHM Research and Emerson College show Kotek is in need of a boost. That’s what she’s hoping the President’s visit can do — building enthusiasm ahead of the election.
KOIN 6 News caught Kotek as she toured the Blanchett House in Old Town Tuesday. She says the transitional housing model with supportive services is something she’d like to expand if elected.
That’s a tough task based on recent polls which show republican Christine Drazan and Kotek both polling in around 30 to 34 percentage points– with Drazan ahead by a percentage point or two.
Unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson is coming in around 18 to 19 percentage points.
Kotek reacted to those polls Tuesday.
“Right now, I think this race is between me and Republican Christine Drazan where we sit today and I’m going to be out working my votes talking to people for the next less of the month. No one is taking anything for granted and I’m going to work really hard to win this race,” she said.
KOIN 6 News asked Betsy Johnson what she thinks about Biden’s visit.
“I hope he comes more often so that Portland will finally clean up more of the trash and tent cities that Tina’s created between the airport and downtown Portland,” Johnson said.
A spokesperson for Drazan’s campaign said “Kotek is desperate to talk about anything other than her allegiance to Kate Brown and the agenda they’ve pushed that’s caused massive homelessness, rising crime and higher costs. They know Christine Drazan is going to win this race and there’s nothing they can do to stop that from happening.”
KOIN 6 learned Virginia Governor Glenn Younkin, a Republican, is going to campaign for Drazan next week.
Younkin won that seat from an incumbent Democrat last year.