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This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering the state.
Gov. Tina Kotek has not announced her reelection plans for 2026, but her fundraising has kicked into a higher gear, with nearly $400,000 raised since Sept. 1, giving her $1.1 million in the bank.
Meanwhile, Kotek’s 2022 Republican opponent, state Rep. Christine Drazan (R-Canby), is keeping her options open.
Drazan, the former two-time House minority leader, passed on seeking that position again; Rep. Lucetta Elmer (R-McMinnville) replaced her in caucus elections last week. Drazan is seeking appointment to succeed state Sen. Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) in Senate District 26. (President Donald Trump nominated Bonham to be assistant secretary of labor Oct. 2.)
If Drazan wins the Senate appointment, she would frustrate a rival, state Rep. Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River), who also wants Bonham’s seat. A Senate seat would offer the ability to fundraise for a potential governor’s run during the February short session—a step House rules prohibit.
But Drazan is reticent about the governor’s race: “I am really focused on the Senate appointment.”
