By Julia Shumway | Editor
Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, met on the debate stage Thursday night for the first time this election cycle, trading barbs about state governance, Donald Trump and their visions for Oregon. Shaanth Nanguneri was in Eugene for the fireworks and will have additional reporting today on some of the specific claims each candidate made.
P.S. Many apologies for the late arrival of today’s newsletter — the tired editor finishing it post-debate last night missed a scheduling step.
Also in today's edition:
Pro-Republican PAC hires doorknocking firm Musk used
Kotek leads group of governors asking for more time to implement Medicaid rules
Columnist Randy Stapilus on the Oregon Education Association sitting out this year’s race for governor, and what it could mean for the union’s power in 2027
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By Shaanth Nanguneri
State Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, and Democratic incumbent Gov. Tina Kotek participate in a gubernatorial debate on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (Photo by Will Yurman/ Lookout Eugene-Springfield/Pool)
EUGENE — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and her repeat challenger state Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, exchanged their fiercest swipes yet at one another on Thursday in their first televised debate, with both candidates painting the other as a political boogeyman who will further entrench the state’s deepest issues.
By Mia Maldonado
Incumbent Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, in the House Chambers on Jan. 13, 2025. (Photo by Laura Tesler/Oregon Capital Chronicle)
A political action committee focused on electing Oregon Republicans to the statehouse is spending hundreds of thousands on a controversial canvassing company Elon Musk hired two years ago to target voters in swing districts.
By Alex Baumhardt
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at an event hosted by the America First Policy Institute in Charlotte, Mich. June 16, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance)
With just three months left to prepare before complex new Medicaid reporting and eligibility rules take effect, Oregon’s Gov. Tina Kotek is again leading a group of governors seeking an extended timeline.
Commentary: What the Oregon Education Association’s missing endorsement says about this year’s race for governor
By Randy Stapilus
One question people inside and outside Oregon ask about this year’s governor’s race is: Has incumbent Tina Kotek, who won four years ago, lost any of her then-successful coalition of voters and interests?
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Sen. Drazan speaks with business owners in Eugene, joined by Montana Gov. | Statesman Journal
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