Even among the most seasoned political junkies, there are probably few people who envisioned a Republican leading in the race for governor in Oregon this year, yet that’s exactly what’s happening.
In fact, if you look at Real Clear Politics, Republican Christine Drazan is not only ahead in the average of polls, she is leading in all of the recent polls.
How is this happening? People in Oregon have finally had enough.
Josh Christenson writes in the Washington Free Beacon:
Oregon Voters Say They’ve Lost Patience With DemocratsAfter nearly four decades of Democratic control, voters in Oregon are ready for a change of leadership.”I don’t like the Democratic approach to anything that’s happening,” said Terri, who lives with her husband outside of Salem and dropped her party affiliation two years ago. “I used to be a Democrat for 40 years.”Like many voters who spoke with the Washington Free Beacon, Terri is fed up with President Joe Biden and Oregon governor Kate Brown (D.). She said both have attempted to woo progressives with policies that undermine public safety and contribute to record inflation…Residents’ talk often centers on Portland, where Kotek lives and which has long been a hotbed of far-left activism in Oregon. Anti-police protests inspired by the killing of George Floyd gripped the city for over 100 days in 2020, with rioters damaging businesses and clashing violently against federal and local law enforcement. Data for Progress, a left-wing think tank, found two years later that 62 percent of voters want to see more police in their communities.”When I drive through Portland, I’m scared. I didn’t used to be scared, but I’m scared,” Chris, who volunteers for a nonprofit that helps the homeless, told the Free Beacon. “The police are understaffed and underappreciated.”
In a sign of how dramatically things have shifted, Tina Kotek, the Democrat in this race, is now lobbing attacks at the current Democrat Governor, Kate Brown.
From FOX News, via Yahoo News:
CIVIL WAR: Democrat for governor attacks own party as Republican gains momentum in deep-blue stateOregon’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Tina Kotek, appears to be responding to the building momentum for Republican candidate Christine Drazan in their heated race by turning on her own party and launching attack’s on the state’s current Democratic governor, Kate Brown.Kotek’s attacks on Brown, while mild, have come in the final weeks of campaigning as polling has shown Drazan running neck-and-neck with the former Democratic Speaker of Oregon’s state house and well ahead of independent candidate, and former Democrat, Betsy Johnson in the traditionally deep-blue state.Oregon has not elected a Republican governor since the early 1980s.
Drazan is using this to her advantage.
Drazan might win this race, but even if she doesn’t, the fact that she is this close is a warning sign for Democrats in this midterm cycle.
If Oregon can go red, anywhere can.
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