Christine Drazan is ready for a rematch

Christine Drazan, a Republican from Beavercreek, is running for governor in Oregon for the second time. Four years ago, she lost to Tina Kotek by roughly 67,000 votes. Drazan has since regained her former Oregon state House seat and was appointed to a vacant state Senate spot. With at least one poll suggesting she leads the Republican field, Drazan is ready to challenge Kotek again. The 2022 race was complicated by Betsy Johnson, an unaffiliated candidate who took 9% of the vote. This time, Drazan is focusing on small-group voter interactions and wooing Portland voters. She has raised $2.3 million, including $500,000 from Ashland auto dealer Don Jones. Drazan plans to run against Kotek's actual record as governor, criticizing her handling of issues like trash cleanup. To win, Drazan must first defeat her GOP opponents, including Chris Dudley and Ed Diehl, in the primary.