A newly released phone survey of Oregon voters suggests that the 2026 gubernatorial race is shaping up to be a competitive one, with Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan boasting a slight lead over incumbent Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek.
Poll Results
The poll from research firm Public Opinion Strategies gave Drazan a 4-point advantage: 48% to Kotek’s 44%. The pollsters noted that Drazan led in the Eugene media market (49% to 45%), had a commanding lead in the Medford market (56% to 29%), and a healthy margin in small DMAs (54% to 40%).
According to the polling firm’s assessment, voters have had enough of Kotek’s failure, enough to buck any pro-Democrat national trend that might exist. Of the respondents, 57% said they disapproved of Kotek’s job performance, while 38% approved. A similar number, 59%, felt the state is on the wrong track.
A strong majority of respondents also said they wanted to see either a great deal or quite a bit of change from Oregon’s next governor, although those results skewed heavily toward Republican and non-affiliated respondents.
Reaction from the Campaigns
Drazan’s campaign presented the poll as proof positive of an Oregon electorate dissatisfied with the Kotek administration. Kotek supporters, however, have a reason to feel that this poll could represent a red mirage, given the similar situation in 2022 when some polls showed Drazan out ahead of the pack in the three-way race between her, Kotek, and unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
