Planned Parenthood PAC, Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Former Oregon Secretary of State Weigh in on the Stakes of the Race
[Portland, OR] – Today the Tina Kotek campaign released a new State of the Race Memorandum and held a press briefing with three Oregon leaders who laid out the stakes in the Oregon Governor’s race.
Analysts at FiveThirtyEight now give unaffiliated conservative Betsy Johnson a less than 1 in 100 chance of winning. Speculation indicates this is likely why Johnson’s largest single donor defected last week and threw his support to the Republican.
As voters begin tuning in to the two-way race, Drazan’s right-wing record of supporting abortion bans, sponsoring legislation that could jail abortion providers, ties to violent extremists, and opposition to environmental protections will be deal breakers for many moderate and swing voters in Oregon.
In a press briefing this afternoon, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon, An Do, made the stakes for abortion access crystal clear.
“At this point it is undeniable: Betsy Johnson cannot win, so a vote for Johnson is a vote for anti-choice Republican Christine Drazan. For reproductive rights advocates, this is terrifying,” Do said.
Voters who care about the environment and climate change feel similarly, according to Doug Moore, Executive Director of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters.
“Christine Drazan has accepted millions of dollars from corporate polluters,” Moore said.
“In last week’s debate in Medford, she said her top priority in her first year in office would be to overturn policies that are reducing pollution in Oregon right now. Seriously?”
Former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury said he feels a responsibility to speak up about what he sees as present threats to our democracy – including here in Oregon.
“This is no longer a Democrat or a Republican issue, this is about our democracy,” Bradbury said. “Christine Drazan has proven that she will not do what it takes to protect our state from these very real extremist threats.”
Briefing available HERE.
Full State of the Race Memo available HERE.