A new poll shows Republican Oregon gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan is ahead in the three-candidate race as Election Day approaches in the state.
“Christine Drazan is on the doorstep of history. No candidate in recent memory has come as close as she is to ending 35 years of one-party control of the Governor’s Office,” Drazan Communications Director John Burke said in a statement to The Daily Wire. “Our state is ready for a new direction and voters increasingly recognize Christine as the only candidate who will deliver. We are excited about the momentum we are seeing and will continue to run hard through Election Day.”
Drazan is running against Democratic candidate Tina Kotek, former speaker of the house in the Oregon legislature, as well as a third candidate, Betsy Johnson. Johnson is running as an unaffiliated candidate in the election after having held office in Oregon as a Democrat.
The poll, carried out by DHM Research, found that around 32% of likely voters in Oregon would vote for Drazan if casting their decisions today, and 31% said they would support Kotek. Johnson gathered 18% backing.
Tom McCabe, President of the Freedom Foundation, told The Daily Wire over email that the poll isn’t a surprise.
“During the past two years, Oregonians have become increasingly alarmed that state government is controlled by the teachers’ unions. The unions dictate when schools can open; when kids have to wear masks; and what is taught (CRT, etc.) Voters recognize Kotek will just be another puppet for the unions,” he said.
The campaign pointed out in an emailed release that the poll is similar to two others that have come about in recent months showing Drazan ahead.
A Clout Research poll conducted in August showed that 32.8% of voters would vote for Drazan, with 32.1% supporting Kotek, and 20.6% would go for Johnson. At the time, around 15% of voters had not yet made a decision on the race.
Another poll carried out at the end of June by Cygnal showed that Oregon voters were not happy with the situation in the state. Around 47% said they would definitely or probably vote for a Republican candidate, with almost 35% saying definitely and 12% saying probably. For Democrat support, those amounts added up to 42.5% — with 10.5% saying they would definitely and 32% saying probably. Drazan was the top pick, with 32.4% of support, 31.4% going for Kotek, and 24.4% supporting Johnson.
In a televised debate between the three candidates on Tuesday night, Drazan held a steady tone and set herself apart from the other two candidates. In her opening remarks, she asked voters if they were content with how things are going in Oregon, noting that elections must answer the question of whether or not things are better now than they were in the past.
“If you believe that we need balance, we need accountability, and that frankly, we need a new direction for our state, then join me. We must vote for change. We must lead our state in a new direction. We can together choose change this election cycle,” she said.