Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Christine Drazan Drops Out of Key Debate

Drazan made a last-minute call without explanation; the other four candidates showed.

May 03, 2022 2:27PM PDT

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The City Club of Portland, one of this city’s most venerable civic institutions, invited five Republican candidates for governor to a debate on May 3.

Former Oregon House Minority Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) canceled the morning of the debate, as first reported by KGW. The Drazan campaign did not offer a reason.

“Christine has participated in nearly a dozen public candidate forums, including two televised debates in the last two weeks,” says Trey Rosser, Drazan’s campaign manager. “She has also visited every corner of the state and hosted countless public events. While she is not participating today, she appreciates the forum provided by the Portland City Club and looks forward to the next opportunity.”

Dr. Bud Pierce, Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam, conservative writer Bridget Barton, and Medford businesswoman Jessica Gomez showed up for the debate moderated by KGW’s Laural Porter and David Molko.