Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum Will Not Run for Governor

In a race notable for the wide range of candidates, one elected official is not going to run.

DSC_4485 Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. (Justin Katigbak)

In a governor’s race most notable for the many candidates jumping in, one significant Oregon elected official has opted against a run.

Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum tonight announced her decision not to run for governor, in a nearly two-minute video posted to her campaign Twitter account. (Disclosure: Rosenblum is married to Richard Meeker, the co-owner of WW’s parent company.)

In an email to supporters she acknowledges she had given the idea consideration.

“I gave very serious thought to throwing my name in the ring for governor in next year’s election,” she wrote in an email to supporters. “I polled Oregon Democratic voters and was pleasantly surprised by the results. I also felt I’d been effective as attorney general and could provide the state with the leadership it so dearly needs and deserves.”

Rosenblum has instead opted to continue to serve as attorney general. She was reelected in 2020.

“I have to say, each time I broached the idea further, I’d come back to the basic realization that I am more a lawyer at heart than a politician,” she wrote in the email. “I did not want to give up this work that I love for another office, even governor.”

Gov. Kate Brown cannot seek reelection because of term limits, opening up a competitive field of candidates.

The Democratic primary includes Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read, House Speaker Tina Kotek, former New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and Yamhill County Commissioner Casey Kulla. State Sen. Betsy Johnson, who has represented Columbia County as a Democrat for 20 years, has said she intends to run as an unaffiliated candidate.

Republican House Minority Leader Christine Drazan said last week she intends to run, joining 2016 Republican gubernatorial nominee Dr. Bud Pierce, Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam, political consultant Bridget Barton, Baker City Mayor Kerry McQuisten and Medford businesswoman Jessica Gomez.

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