Earlier this month, we covered how Cook Political Report changed their rating of the Oregon gubernatorial race from “Lean Democratic” to “Toss-Up.” That a former Democrat who is running as an Independent, Betsy Johnson, has entered the race, could act as a spoiler. Polling results back up that the Republican nominee, Christine Drazan, is the one who benefits.
The Oregonian/OregonLive commissioned a poll from DHM Research showing that Drazan has 32 percent support, while Democrat Tina Kotek has 31 percent. Johnson comes in at a more distant third, with 18 percent. This is despite how Johnson has outraised her opponents.
The poll was conducted September 23-24, with 600 likely voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, which means that Drazan’s lead is within that margin. It’s nevertheless significant, considering that Oregon has not elected a Republican governor since 1987. Read more…
