Republicans are gaining ground in blue-leaning Oregon, where Fox News Power Rankings have shifted the governor's race toward the GOP as Democratic Gov.Tina Kotek faces a competitive rematch with Republican Christine Drazan.The shift from Likely Democrat to Lean Democrat reflects a competitive political environment in Oregon, where concerns over homelessness, housing, taxes, schools and the cost of living have created an opening for Republicans to end a more than four-decade losing streak in gubernatorial elections.Republicans are gaining ground in Oregon even as they face a rough national political environment marked by high gas and diesel prices, what polls show is an unpopular war in Iran and President Donald Trump's low approval ratings"This is something historic we're trying to pull off," Drazan said in a Fox News Digital interview.
"It's been a long time and we're due we win."CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONSFox News Power Rankings on gubernatorial forecast.(Remy Numa/Fox News)Then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried Oregon by 14 points in the 2024 presidential election, and Democratic Sen.
Ron Wyden won his 2022 re-election by 15 points.But gubernatorial showdowns in the northwestern state have traditionally been much closer contests.Drazan, a former GOP leader in the Oregon House, lost to Kotek by less than four points in 2022.After her defeat, she won a state House election in 2024 and returned to the legislature, serving again as minority leader before being appointed last year to the state Senate."It's good to stay in the fight.I think Oregonians...
recognized that I didn't leave, I didn't move to a different state, I didn't go hide.I got engaged again, went back into the legislature to serve my community," Drazan emphasized.
"I think that that matters to people, that I am committed long-term to our state."The latest public opinion polls indicate a margin of error race in the Kotek-Drazan rematch."People are startin...