Oregon gov. to seek reelection amid state’s ObamaCare troubles

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) will seek reelection next year amid a healthcare reform rollout that has surpassed the federal exchanges in ineffectiveness.

The StatesmanJournal reported on Monday that Kitzhaber will seek to become the state’s first four-term governor.

But the launch of Cover Oregon, the state-run ObamaCare exchange, figures to play a significant role in whether the Democrat will hold onto his governorship.

Cover Oregon’s website was supposed to go live on Oct. 1, but the state’s exchange has suffered technical issues similar to those affecting the federal system and continues to sputter more than two months after its launch. 

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the website would likely not be functioning properly until January 2014.

Oregon healthcare officials have yet to confirm the state’s first healthcare enrollee.

Kitzhaber’s Republican opponent, state Rep. Dennis Richardson, has already begun to make the rollout a campaign issue, and the governor told USA Today that he expects “a few slings and arrows” over the “rocky rollout.”

Thee state has, however, been processing thousands of applications by hand, and The Oregonian has reported about 100,000 enrollees are expected by January.