Tina Kotek fends off GOP challenge in Oregon governor’s race

Correction: Tina Kotek is set to become one of the first two openly lesbian governors in American history.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek has won the race to become Oregon’s next governor. The Associated Press called the race for Kotek Thursday night, keeping her party in control of the longtime blue seat after a tight race.  

Kotek, formerly the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, won out over Republican opponent Christine Drazan and Democrat-turned-Independent candidate Betsy Johnson.

She’d secured the Democratic nomination over 14 other candidates in the state’s primary earlier this year.  

The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report shifted the Oregon governor’s race from “lean Democrat” to a “toss up” in September after Johnson appeared poised to pull support from Kotek. 

Democrat Tina Kotek won her race for the Oregon governor’s mansion after polls showed a close race between she and Republican opponent Christine Drazan. (Getty)

Polls showed Drazan with a narrow lead in the weeks leading up to Election Day, but an Emerson College Polling survey released late last week showed the opposite, with Kotek up 4 points over Drazan. 

President Biden visited Oregon in mid-October to help urge voters to back Kotek, saying the race “matters well beyond the state of Oregon.”

Kotek will fill Democratic Gov. Kate Brown’s seat. Brown could not seek reelection due to term limits in the state.

Brown pulled in dismal approval ratings amid frustration over her response to the COVID-19 pandemic and issues like homelessness in the state, and Democrats appeared concerned voters would lump Kotek in with brown as a fellow Democrat — but Oregonians still preferred progressive Kotek over Drazan’s Republican platform.

Kotek is set to become one of the first two openly lesbian governors in American history, joined by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D), who was projected to win the state’s governorship.