Sen. Christine Drazan (R-Canby) arrives at her election party at Lanphere Cellars in Aurora, Ore., May 19, 2026.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
Republican Christine Drazan wanted a rematch, and she’s going to get one.
In 2022, Drazan faced off against Democrat Tina Kotek in the governor’s race, and early returns Tuesday night show she’s on her way to square off against Kotek again.
Drazan led a crowded field of Republican governor candidates with over 43% of the vote, prompting The Associated Press to declare her the winner of her party’s nomination.
“This can be the best state in the nation to start a business. This can be the best state in the nation for our kids to get an education. But only with new leadership,” Drazan said in a speech shortly after the race was called. “I’m in this fight with you and for you. We are going to get this done together.”
State Rep. Ed Diehl, a Republican from Scio, was currently second with about 30% of the vote. Former Portland Trail Blazer Chris Dudley was third with about 16%.
The top GOP candidates were largely aligned on key issues throughout the race.
They talked about lowering taxes, improving the public school system, slashing regulations and taking a stronger approach to solving the homeless crisis. Most of their debate time was focused on criticizing the Democratic Party.
Drazan thanked her Republican opponents in the primary. And she called on them all to unite going forward.
“We know how tough this road is gonna be because what is our goal?” she called to the crowd. “Fire Tina.”
“She cannot have a second term,” Drazan said of the governor. “We cannot afford it. The people of our state cannot afford it. Those who are hurting on our streets can certainly not afford it. None of us can afford four more years of this. So we’re going to fix it.”
With two former gubernatorial candidates in the mix and a challenger who gained prominence fighting the Democrats’ gas tax — which failed quickly on election night — the race was one of the more competitive Republican primaries in recent years.
Both Dudley and Drazan had mounted serious campaigns for governor previously, and both won their party’s nomination. Drazan faced Kotek in 2022. And Dudley lost to former Gov. John Kitzhaber in 2010 by a slim margin, coming closer to putting a Republican in the governor’s mansion than anyone else has in decades.
Diehl was instrumental in launching the campaign to block a package of tax and fee increases that was on the May ballot.
The package was a top priority for Kotek, but Diehl’s effort to put it on the ballot effectively killed it.
The package was declared failed minutes after early returns.
The last time Drazan faced off against Kotek, she came about 67,000 votes short.
The dynamics would be different in a 2026 race.
For one, there would not be a third candidate. Betsy Johnson also ran in 2022 as an independent candidate, and Drazan believes Johnson siphoned money and votes from conservative voters who would otherwise be inclined to support her.
Also, as she’s said on the campaign trail so far this year, now she can run against Kotek’s actual record.
During Kotek’s first four years in office, her approval ratings have been low.
“The conversation with voters is: She isn’t doing the job, she’s shown she can’t do the job, and I can promise you she doesn’t deserve your vote to continue to fail doing the job,” Drazan told OPB in an earlier interview.
Drazan’s campaign watch party was held at Lanphere Cellars in Aurora.
Her supporters talked about many of the issues that are sure to take center stage in the coming months, from the housing crisis, lack of economic development, to failing public schools.
John Anderson, 59, of Sherwood, was with his family at Drazan’s gathering on Tuesday night. He owns a crane company and said five years ago he had five operating in downtown Portland.
Today, he has none.
“Nobody wants to invest in downtown, so why build down there?” Anderson said.
His wife, JJ Bell, 55, chimed in and said she’s been an Oregonian her whole life and she’s ready to see “Oregon cleaned up” again.
Brad Wilson, of Albany, 63, who owns a variety of businesses, including a landscape supply business and rental properties, said he likes Drazan’s commitment and passion.
“We have a lot of government regulations in our lives,” he said at Drazan’s election night event.
He’d like to see the regulations streamlined.
Nolan Goodwin and his wife, Ashlyn, both 24, said they would love to stay in Oregon and raise a family, but are worried about how poorly the schools are doing. They believe Drazan is the one to improve the public school system.
“I love Oregon, and I would like to stay here,” Nolan Goodwin said.
