Election Day, Nov 3 9 daysSenate D 78%House D 93%Governors D 86%Forecast updated Oct 25

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Governor · Oregon

Oregon Governor

Tina Kotek vs Christine Drazan

ForecastD +9.4
Democrat93%
Republican7%
RatingLikely D
Full forecast
Brief me as

Neutral view. Pick a side and the War Room briefs you as that campaign's operative.

Vital signs

Campaign health, 0 to 100, from public money, outside spending, ballots and activity
DemocratTina KotekStable
610100
  • Money weight 2556

    Raised $14.7M against $11.4M for Christine Drazan.

  • Cash weight 2070

    $4.5M in the bank against $1.9M for Christine Drazan.

  • Early vote weight 1579

    Registered Democrats cast 46% of the 489,294 ballots in Oregon so far, against 29% for the other party. That is 8.5 points better for Democrats than the forecast expected by now. Counts registration, not votes.

  • Activity weight 1025

    3 campaign stops by the candidate or surrogates in 30 days.

RepublicanChristine DrazanCritical
320100
  • Money weight 2544

    Raised $11.4M against $14.7M for Tina Kotek.

  • Cash weight 2030

    $1.9M in the bank against $4.5M for Tina Kotek.

  • Early vote weight 1522

    Registered Republicans cast 29% of the 489,294 ballots in Oregon so far, against 46% for the other party. That is 8.5 points worse for Republicans than the forecast expected by now. Counts registration, not votes.

  • Activity weight 1025

    3 campaign stops by the candidate or surrogates in 30 days.

How each side wins

From the forecast, the polls, the county map, voter groups, money and ballots
If you work for Tina Kotek
  1. Protect the lead

    Tina Kotek leads by 9.4 in the forecast and wins 93% of simulations. The cushion is about 193,158 votes; a one point swing is about 10,307 voters changing sides.

  2. The range

    In 8 of 10 simulations the result lands between D +1.5 and D +17.1. Only an unusual polling error changes the winner.

  3. The polls

    The polls page average is R +0.7. Your best recent poll is DHM Research for The Oregonian at D +1.9; your worst is DHM Research/Oregon Public Broadcasting at R +1.7. 3 polls in the last 30 days.

  4. Turn out the base

    The biggest vote banks for Democrats: Multnomah, a projected net 240,567 votes; Washington, a projected net 77,497 votes; Lane, a projected net 45,998 votes. Every point of extra turnout here is worth more than persuasion anywhere else.

  5. Win the battlegrounds

    The large counties within 12 points: Clackamas, D +0.5, 10.8% of the vote; Marion, R +9.8, 7.0% of the vote; Deschutes, D +3.0, 5.5% of the vote; Jackson, R +6.9, 5.3% of the vote.

  6. Where you run behind the 2024 map

    Against the 2024 presidential vote, Tina Kotek runs furthest behind in Klamath, Linn, Columbia. That is where the forecast sees voters who backed your side two years ago and have not come back yet.

  7. The coalition levers

    Groups big enough to move the race: White voters, 81% of voters, 48 to 49, where a 5 point gain is worth 4.04 points; Voters who cast ballots in 2022 and 2024, 74% of voters, 56 to 39, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.72 points; Voters who find daily costs hard to afford, 62% of voters, 58 to 38, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.12 points.

  8. Where you lose ground

    The forecast's worst groups for Tina Kotek: Immigration voters 28 to 67, Small counties 35 to 61, Midsize counties 39 to 58. Cutting the loss here is often cheaper than winning new groups.

  9. The money

    $4.5M cash against $1.9M. Spend it early on persuasion television in the battleground counties and keep a reserve for the last week.

  10. The early vote

    Registered Democrats cast 46% of the 489,294 ballots in Oregon so far, against 29% for the other party. That is 8.5 points better for Democrats than the forecast expected by now.

  11. What the ballots so far say

    The early vote has moved this forecast 1.8 points toward Tina Kotek. Bank it: chase the remaining mail ballots and low propensity voters who have not voted.

  12. Christine Drazan's strongest asset

    Money: Raised $11.4M against $14.7M for Tina Kotek.

If you work for Christine Drazan
  1. Close the gap

    Christine Drazan trails by 9.4 and wins 7% of simulations. Closing it takes about 96,579 voters switching sides, or 193,158 more net votes from new turnout.

  2. The range

    In 8 of 10 simulations the result lands between D +17.1 and D +1.5. Only an unusual polling error changes the winner.

  3. The polls

    The polls page average is R +0.7. Your best recent poll is DHM Research/Oregon Public Broadcasting at R +1.7; your worst is DHM Research for The Oregonian at D +1.9. 3 polls in the last 30 days.

  4. Turn out the base

    The biggest vote banks for Republicans: Douglas, a projected net 27,543 votes; Linn, a projected net 23,813 votes; Klamath, a projected net 17,908 votes. Every point of extra turnout here is worth more than persuasion anywhere else.

  5. Win the battlegrounds

    The large counties within 12 points: Clackamas, D +0.5, 10.8% of the vote; Marion, R +9.8, 7.0% of the vote; Deschutes, D +3.0, 5.5% of the vote; Jackson, R +6.9, 5.3% of the vote.

  6. Where you run behind the 2024 map

    Against the 2024 presidential vote, Christine Drazan runs furthest behind in Lane, Jackson, Multnomah. That is where the forecast sees voters who backed your side two years ago and have not come back yet.

  7. The coalition levers

    Groups big enough to move the race: White voters, 81% of voters, 49 to 48, where a 5 point gain is worth 4.04 points; Voters who cast ballots in 2022 and 2024, 74% of voters, 39 to 56, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.72 points; Voters who find daily costs hard to afford, 62% of voters, 38 to 58, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.12 points.

  8. Where you lose ground

    The forecast's worst groups for Christine Drazan: Asian and other voters 21 to 76, Latino voters 33 to 64, Health care and Social Security voters 32 to 64. Cutting the loss here is often cheaper than winning new groups.

  9. The money

    $1.9M cash against $4.5M. Outspent: lean on earned media, digital, field and the outside groups, and pick the two or three media markets that decide it.

  10. The early vote

    Registered Republicans cast 29% of the 489,294 ballots in Oregon so far, against 46% for the other party. That is 8.5 points worse for Republicans than the forecast expected by now.

  11. What the ballots so far say

    The early vote has moved this forecast 1.8 points away from Christine Drazan. Election Day has to make it up: the remaining vote must break harder your way than the forecast expects.

  12. Tina Kotek's strongest asset

    Early vote: Registered Democrats cast 46% of the 489,294 ballots in Oregon so far, against 29% for the other party.

The map for Kotek

County projections from the forecast
Vote banksWhere the biggest net margins come from
CountyForecastVote shareNet D
MultnomahD +61.219.1%+240,567
WashingtonD +28.413.2%+77,497
LaneD +23.89.4%+45,998
BentonD +36.62.3%+17,601
BattlegroundsLarge counties within 12 points
CountyForecastVote shareNet D
ClackamasD +0.510.8%+1,064
MarionR +9.87%-14,062
DeschutesD +3.05.5%+3,450
JacksonR +6.95.3%-7,618
Behind the 2024 mapRunning furthest behind the last presidential vote
CountyForecastVote shareNet D
KlamathR +54.91.6%-17,908
LinnR +37.13.1%-23,813
ColumbiaR +25.51.4%-7,185

The coalition

Kotek against Drazan among the groups that can move it, from the forecast's voter group estimates
Swing groups
  • White voters81% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 4.0
    4849
  • Voters who cast ballots in 2022 and 202474% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 3.7
    5639
  • Voters who find daily costs hard to afford62% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 3.1
    5838
  • Voters without a degree55% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 2.8
    4849
Weakest groups
  • Immigration voters7% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 0.4
    2867
  • Small counties10% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 0.5
    3561
  • Midsize counties30% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 1.5
    3958
KotekDrazan

Scouting report

From the Watchdog people files, each line with its source
Tina Kotek

No researched file yet; this candidate is queued for the next people file batch.

Christine Drazan

No researched file yet; this candidate is queued for the next people file batch.

The forecast

Margin over recent runs
R +2.0D +10.121 runs agonow
Now
D +9.4
8 in 10 land between
D +17.1 and D +1.5
Polling average
R +0.7
Partisan lean
D +16.4
Early vote effect
D +1.8

Recent polls

Last 45 days
PollsterDays agoSampleResult
GBAO (D)11800 LVD +1.8
DHM Research for The Oregonian14549 LVD +1.9
DHM Research/Oregon Public Broadcasting18915 LVR +1.7
DHM Research36600 LVR +2.1

Money and the air war

Latest reports
KotekDrazan
Raised$14.7M$11.4M
Spentn/an/a
Cash on hand$4.5M$1.9M
Outside money forn/an/a
Google adsn/an/a
Follow the money

The early vote

Oregon, through 2026-10-24
Ballots cast
489,294
Party data
Reported by the state
Ballot margin
D +16.7
Forecast expected
D +8.2
Against expectation
8.5 points better for Democrats

Party registration of who has voted, not how they voted.

Open the early vote tracker

Media watch

Who is putting this race in front of an audience
  • 2026-10-06
    Remy Numa analyst

    Fox News Power Rankings moved Oregon governor from Likely D to Lean D, citing Gov. Kotek's lethargic debate. Source

Media watch

On the trail

Rallies and events, newest first
  • 2026-10-13
    Tina Kotek debate in Bend

    Final debate hosted by KTVZ and The Source, focused on development. Source

  • 2026-10-13
    Christine Drazan debate in Bend

    Final debate hosted by KTVZ and The Source, focused on development. Source

  • 2026-10-07
    Tina Kotek debate in Medford

    Live televised debate at KOBI TV NBC5 studios in partnership with Southern Oregon University. Source

  • 2026-10-07
    Christine Drazan debate in Medford

    Live televised debate at KOBI TV NBC5 studios in partnership with Southern Oregon University. Source

  • 2026-10-01
    Tina Kotek debate in Eugene

    First gubernatorial debate, held on the University of Oregon campus. Source

  • 2026-10-01
    Christine Drazan debate in Eugene

    First gubernatorial debate, held on the University of Oregon campus. Source

Races that move with this one

When the polls miss here, they tend to miss there too