Oregon Governor's Race Gets More Crowded As Drazan Readies Hat

OREGON CITY, OR — "It has become clear that Oregonians are ready for change. They are tired of the backroom deals, the broken promises and the failed leadership. They are tired of our state consistently being in the national headlines for all the wrong reasons.

"Frankly, I am too."

Those are the words of Rep. Christine Drozan, a Republican who represents Canby in the state House of Representatives. She's talking about how she plans to announce a run for governor, news first reported by Willamette Week.

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Drozan is also the Republican leader in the house. If she follows through, she will become a formidable challenger for the Republicans who have not won the governor's mansion since 1982.

She would join a Republican field that already includes Bud Pierce who ran and lost in 2018, Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam, and Jessica Gomez.

The Democratic field already has some big names including former New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Nick Kristof, House Speaker Tina Kotek, and State Treasurer Tobias Read.

The wild card will be the effect of Betsy Johnson, a state senator and longtime conservative Democrat who is leaving the party to run as an independent.

She reported raising #2 million so far, her her ahead of all candidates.

Democrats feel that she will siphon off Republican votes and Republicans, unsurprisingly, feel the same, sort of. they believe that she will siphon off votes from Democrats.

The primaries are in ay, 2022.