Oregon state Sen. Christine Drazan reported $1 million from the Republican Governors Association on Thursday, a gift that will help her candidacy stay financially competitive in what is considered a close race for governor.
It’s Drazan’s largest single donation to date.
With 26 days until the election, Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek reported having about $4.5 million on hand. Drazan had $1.9 million as her ending fund balance, according to the latest filings Thursday. Drazan, who had to navigate a tough Republican primary, has had less to spend than Kotek.
Drazan recently appeared alongside national Republican figures, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at a Republican Party dinner in Hillsboro and Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte in Eugene.
Up until this point, some of Drazan’s top supporters have been Oregon realtors, automobile dealers and timber industry officials. Notably absent has been the state’s richest man, Phil Knight. The Nike co-founder donated to Drazan when she ran against Kotek in 2022. Knight, who rarely grants interviews, told The New York Times he was “anti-Tina person” and had donated despite never speaking with Drazan.
Drazan’s visit with Gianforte may have proven fruitful, as the two-term governor is the chair of the national governor’s group that penned the $1 million check.
Some of Kotek’s more generous supporters have been the carpenters union and the state’s largest public-sector labor organization, the Service Employees International Union. The Democratic Governors Association has also given Kotek about $3 million.
A Republican has not won the Oregon governor’s office since 1982.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
