Drazan campaign releases new multimedia campaign highlighting need for new direction

Canby, Ore. – Christine Drazan for Oregon today released the campaign’s latest TV ad “Roadmap,” which begins airing in television markets across the state starting today. The TV ad will be complimented by advertising online and a host of other mediums, and aims to educate voters on the shared voting records of career Democrats Kate Brown, Tina Kotek, and Betsy Johnson, while highlighting Drazan’s vision for change. 

“Kate Brown, Tina Kotek, and Betsy Johnson have been a part of the same team wearing the same partisan jersey for more than a decade,” said Trey Rosser, Drazan’s campaign manager. “The results have been nothing short of devastating for Oregon families. Taxes are too high, our streets are a mess, schools are failing our kids, and it has never been more expensive to live and raise a family in Oregon. Christine Drazan is the only candidate capable of leading Oregon in a new direction starting on Day One.”

“Roadmap” Script
Tina Kotek and Betsy Johnson have been driving Kate Brown’s agenda for years. They’ve led Oregon down the wrong path. 

Tina and Betsy haven’t fixed anything. In fact, they have made things worse.

I’m Christine Drazan. We need a new direction. My Roadmap for Oregon cleans up our streets, stops the tax increases, and makes life more affordable for Oregon families.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. But together, we can do this.

Christine Drazan is the only candidate that will deliver meaningful change on Day One

Canby, Ore. – Christine Drazan’s campaign issued the following statement in response to a second Democrat appearing to qualify for the November election:

“It looks all but certain that Oregonians will see two Democrats on their ballots this November: Tina Kotek and Betsy Johnson. Oregonians, if you are happy with the way things are going in our state, then you have two great choices in these candidates. Either one will give you a third term of Kate Brown’s failed agenda. But if you are looking for someone who will lead our state in a new direction starting on Day One, then your candidate is Christine Drazan.” – Trey Rosser, Campaign Manager

Canby, OR – Oregon Republican gubernatorial nominee Christine Drazan announced the endorsement of George Carrillo, a prominent Democratic leader, for her candidacy today. Carrillo, a Marine Corps veteran and former police officer who competed for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination earlier this year, is crossing party lines to make this endorsement, in a move that highlights Christine’s growing support from across the political spectrum in Oregon.  “Like so many Oregonians, George Carrillo understands that Oregon is in desperate need of change,” said Drazan. “This isn’t about Republicans and Democrats or any other party label. This is about making our state a better place. I’m honored to have his support and look forward to working together to lead Oregon in a new direction this November.” “It’s clear that Oregon needs a new approach to solve the problems facing our communities. Christine Drazan will bring fresh ideas and strong leadership to the table,” said Carrillo. “This election is bigger than Democrats and Republicans, it’s about the future of our state. We need our next Governor to tackle our problems with tenacity and courage. I know Christine will do that, and that’s why I’m endorsing her.” WATCH Carrillo’s endorsement here:

Canby, OR – Today, the Oregon chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) announced its endorsement of Christine Drazan’s candidacy for Governor.  As one of the leading advocacy organizations for small businesses in the nation, the NFIB’s endorsement of Drazan solidifies her as the top choice for economic freedom and job growth in this gubernatorial election. Drazan released the following statement on the endorsement: “I’m honored to have earned the endorsement of NFIB Oregon, one of the leading advocacy groups for small businesses in our state,” said Drazan. “One-party rule under Kate Brown and my two Democrat opponents has hurt working families across Oregon. As Governor, I’ll fight for job growth and build an environment where small businesses can thrive and prosper. We can start a new direction for this state, and I’m ready to deliver starting on day one.”

Wilsonville, OR – Today, Republican nominee for Oregon Governor Christine Drazan unveiled her “Roadmap for Oregon’s Future,” a comprehensive agenda to tackle the issues facing our state.

Drazan was joined by business and community leaders from around the region to discuss the Roadmap and her plans for leading Oregon in a new direction. 

“This roadmap is the product of countless conversations we’ve had with Oregonians from all walks of life,” said Drazan.“For years under one-party rule, they’ve faced rising crime, failing schools, skyrocketing homelessness, and a growing affordability crisis. They know that we need a new direction and that’s what we are ready to provide on day one of my administration.”

Roadmap For Oregon’s Future

ADDRESS THE CRISIS IN OUR STREETS
There are more people living on the street today in Oregon than at any point in our state’s history. Even worse, Oregon ranks dead last in the U.S. with the highest number of homeless children. This is a crisis worsened every day by addiction, with our state recording the second highest addiction rates in the nation, without access to adequate mental and behavioral health supports. We can and must respond to this crisis comprehensively with all federal, state, local, nonprofit and community partners coordinating and communicating to offer both accountability and compassionate support. 

The Drazan Plan: 

• Address the humanitarian crisis on our streets with all tools available to ensure homelessness is rare and temporary.
• Declare a homelessness state of emergency to prioritize public health and ensure community safety, by coordinating services, enforcing local ordinances and marshaling resources to respond to needs on the ground.
• Work to repeal Measure 110, which decriminalized hard drugs like methamphetamine and heroin.
• Maintain and expand investments in addiction and mental health supports and services, including providing reimbursement rates that protect and expand access.
• Expand housing provider incentives and pause regulations that drive costs, to ensure additional housing developments are built in Oregon, rather than being lost to more affordable, less restrictive, neighboring jurisdictions. 

RESTORE COMMUNITY SAFETY & THE RULE OF LAW
Homicides in the City of Portland are up 207%. Meanwhile, local leaders have undermined law enforcement at every turn by defunding the police and allowing political agendas to weaken community safety. At the state level, there are just eight state troopers per 100,000 residents. In the 1970’s, the number was 30 per 100,000. To make matters worse, Governor Brown’s administration has released nearly 1,000 convicted criminals from prison early, while failing to prevent drug cartels from taking root in Southern Oregon.

The Drazan Plan: 

• Restore safe communities. 
• Regain the trust and confidence of law enforcement, fully fund state police and increase the number of law enforcement officers with competitive salaries and hiring bonuses.
• End Governor Kate Brown’s mass prisoner release program, which has led to the early release of convicted cold-blooded killers.
• Work with local, state, and federal authorities to crack down on cartel activity in Southern Oregon and reduce the supply of deadly drugs, like fentanyl, on our streets.

FIGHT FOR WORKING FAMILIES & SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH
Our state has some of the highest personal income taxes in the country, leaving Oregonians with less money in their wallets. At the same time, the cost of living in Oregon has skyrocketed in recent years. Our state now ranks as the 5th most expensive state in the nation, with Oregonians regularly paying among the highest gas prices in the country. Under the leadership of Governor Kate Brown, Oregon has earned a reputation as one of the most anti-business states in the U.S., with companies like Intel choosing to take billions of dollars’ worth of investments and good-paying jobs to states who have fought for job growth.

The Drazan Plan: 

• Fight for job growth in Oregon.
• Protect family budgets. 
• Work to cut taxes on families and small businesses to help Oregonians keep more of what they earn, and encourage businesses to grow and thrive as they create more jobs. 
• Tear up Governor Kate Brown’s cap-and-trade executive order that would drive up already record high gas prices.
• Put a moratorium on unnecessary new regulations and repeal or roll back unnecessary existing regulations.
• Support more lanes to ease congestion and oppose highway taxes that pick winners and losers.

IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS
Even with record funding for our public education system, Oregon’s high school graduation rate remains one of the worst in the nation. Student achievement rates, too, continually lag behind the national average. Our kids deserve so much better, but the current system puts the interests of bureaucrats and their misguided priorities ahead of student learning. They’re too focused on teaching kindergartners progressive political agendas rather than how to read, write, and do math. It has to end. 

The Drazan Plan: 

• Focus on academic accountability and individual student success. 
• Keep politics out of the classroom and teach our students how to think, not what to think.
• Expand access to school choice, including restoring open enrollment and supporting charter schools and magnet schools.
• Restore basic graduation requirements that Governor Brown and the legislature eliminated.
• Increase classroom time and enrichment opportunities to strengthen learning and improve graduation rates.
• Require curriculum transparency so that anyone who wants access to this information can easily review it.

RESTORE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY
A decade of one-party rule has destroyed public trust in state government. Just 18% of Oregonians today think our state is headed in the ‘right direction,’ a historic low. It’s no secret why. Governor Kate Brown’s decision to lead Oregon with top-down-mandates and a one-size-fits-all approach has left our state more divided than ever. When renters were promised relief, the state wrote bad checks. When Governor Kate Brown shut down our state’s economy and sent thousands to the unemployment line overnight, some Oregonians waited nearly a year to receive benefits they had rightfully earned and desperately needed. Our state continues to earn national headlines for bureaucratic incompetence and a lack of government accountability.

The Drazan Plan:

• Commit to serve Oregonians through government agencies that are effective, streamlined, accountable and efficient.
• Fire Governor Kate Brown’s agency heads and appoint leadership that will be competent, transparent and responsive to the needs of the people of Oregon.
• Appoint judges based on merit, who will follow the Constitution and uphold the rule of law.
• Fix longstanding government mismanagement of projects, focus on improving agency performance, customer service and core mission.

SUSTAINABLY MANAGE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES
Oregon is blessed with conservation that has preserved our quality of life, a traditional strong, growing natural resource-based economy. From our forests to our fields, and our cattle to our fish, we manufacture, harvest, raise and ship high quality, sustainable products worldwide. But too often, political agendas and bureaucratic hurdles get in the way of what is best for Oregon families in these communities. 

The Drazan Plan:

• Manage our working lands effectively while preserving our commitment to our environment.
• Actively manage forests to mitigate the likelihood of megafires, which reduces carbon emissions, protects water quality and strengthens the economy. 
• Support local communities’ water needs and advance efforts to manage water, including investing in storage and conservation.
• Veto attacks on the agricultural community to protect responsible farming and ranching practices and preserve family-owned farms, nurseries and ranches. 
• Support thriving fisheries and resource stewardship, including the modernization of hatcheries, to the benefit of all stakeholders. 

The defining moment of the debate came during Christine’s closing statement, when she posed the central question of the election: “Do we want more of the same or do we want change?” She emphasized the stakes of the race while laying out the case for why she is the only candidate who can bring a new direction for Oregon. Watch Christine’s full closing statement here:

Here are some of the other key moments from Christine’s dominant debate performance: Christine on homelessness (VIDEO) Christine’s opening statement (VIDEO) Christine on Kotek and Johnson’s failures (VIDEO)

Welches, Ore. – Christine Drazan’s campaign for governor released the following statement after this after this afternoon’s gubernatorial debate hosted by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association:

“The contrast on the stage this afternoon could not have been clearer. If you are happy with the way things are going in Oregon, then you have two great choices in Tina Kotek and Betsy Johnson. Either one will give you a third term of Kate Brown’s failed agenda. But if you are looking for a new direction, if you are looking for someone who has actually stood up to Kate Brown and will reverse our state’s decade of decline under one-party rule, then Christine Drazan is the candidate for you. She was the only candidate on the stage today with the leadership, experience, and the vision to deliver the kind of change Oregonians so desperately deserve starting on Day One.” – Trey Rosser, Campaign Manager

Canby, OR – With polls showing her leading both of her Democrat opponents, national observers are taking notice of Christine Drazan’s momentum in the Oregon Governor’s race. As Christine’s candidacy continues to build support, it’s clear that Oregon may have its first Republican Governor in nearly 40 years this November.

Here are some highlights of the news coverage this week:

In an interview with the Oregonian, Republican Governors Association Executive Director Dave Rexrode called Oregon the “best pickup opportunity” of 2022:

Oregon’s race for governor is the most promising opportunity for Republicans to snatch a state from Democrats, according to one top GOP official.

Dave Rexrode, executive director of the Republican Governors Association, is in Oregon this week meeting with Republican governor candidate Christine Drazan’s campaign staffers and potential donors. It’s Rexrode’s second visit to the state since Drazan, the former House Republican leader, won the May primary.

Cook Political Report shifted their race rating for the Oregon Governors race from “likely Democrat” to only “leans Democrat,” a major move in favor of Christine’s candidacy:

The one non-partisan public poll for Nelson Research (May 25-27) since the May 17 primary shows a tight race, with former Republican state House minority leader Christine Drazan narrowly leading with 30 percent, Democratic former state House Speaker Tina Kotek a statistically insignificant two points behind at 28 percent, and Betsy Johnson, a Democrat-turned independent state senator, at 19 percent. Other private and partisan polls show a similar trajectory, and Democrats admit this is a race they must pay attention to in a state that President Biden won by 16 points. This is also a likely first historically, with three women all having a viable chance in the race, though the paths seem clearest for the major party nominees, Kotek and Drazan.

This race could end up echoing the Maine governor races in 2010 and 2014, where Republican Paul LePage was able to eke out wins thanks to the presence of Independent Eliot Cutler on the ballot. But it’s not simply the dimension of a three-way race that has made this uniquely competitive. It’s a strong Republican year nationwide. Current term-limited Democratic Gov. Kate Brown is one of the most unpopular governors in the country after seeing a homeless population spike and rising crime, with a recent Morning Consult survey ranking her 49th with 55 disapprove/40 approve. Drazan, the strongest candidate Republicans fielded and national party strategists preferred, won her primary and has proven to be a formidable fundraiser.

This comes after Christine launched her first ad of the general election, “Small Town,” first reported by Fox News:

Republican gubernatorial nominee Christine Drazan highlights her Oregon roots and takes aim at term limited Democratic governor Kate Brown and her Democratic and independent rivals running to succeed Brown, in her first ad of the general election.

“I’m an Oregonian, my life is an Oregon story. I was born in Klamath Falls where family and community, were everything to me,” Drazan says at the top of her spot, which was shared first with Fox News on Monday.

Drazan, who’s hoping to become the first Republican in four decades to win an election for governor in the blue state of Oregon, topped a primary field of nearly 20 candidates in May to win the GOP nomination. She’s facing off in November’s general election against former state House Speaker Tina Kotek, who won an equally crowded Democratic primary, and independent candidate Betsy Johnson, a former moderate Democratic state senator.

Endorsements also continue to roll in for Christine’s campaign, with Right Direction Women, a group dedicated to electing conservative women to gubernatorial offices, announcing their support:

Right Direction Women (RDW), a national group focused on electing conservative women to governor, today announced their endorsement of Christine Drazan for governor of Oregon.

RDW is excited to join the Republican Governors Association in endorsing the Oregon native who promises “A New Direction for Oregon.” Drazan’s campaign comes as Oregonians have long awaited hope for revival of their state, which has for decades faced extraordinary destruction and economic turmoil at the hands of Democratic leadership.

Canby, Ore. – Christine Drazan issued the following statement in response to the Oregon Secretary of State’s audit of the Oregon Employment Department:
“When hardworking Oregonians suddenly found themselves laid off thanks to Governor Brown’s shutdown orders, they turned to the state for benefits they had a right to receive. Instead, all they got were busy signals and months-long wait times. Today’s audit confirms what Oregonians have known for years: Oregon needs new leadership.

“I appreciate the work that Acting Director Gerstenfeld and his team have put into turning things around at the department. But the reality is this agency was set up for failure by leadership that was asleep at the wheel for over a decade. In the legislature, we received thousands of calls from constituents who were desperately in need of help from the Employment Department. That’s what failed leadership looks like. Oregonians deserve better. Just as I called for accountability when it became clear that a change in leadership was needed at this agency, I reaffirm that need for accountability today. As Governor, I will ensure that this agency will be responsive to the findings of this audit and take these recommendations seriously, so that the next time Oregonians need their government to serve them, it will be prepared to meet that challenge.”

Canby, OR – Christine Drazan continues to build momentum to flip Oregon’s gubernatorial seat and national observers are taking notice. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report previously rated the Oregon Governor’s race as “Likely Democrat.” They have now moved it in favor of Republicans to “Leans Democrat,” making them only a slight favorite to hold onto a seat they have held for nearly 40 years. This comes as multiple polls show Drazan leading both Democrat nominee Tina Kotek and former Democrat State Senator Betsy Johnson. So far Drazan has raised over $4 million for her campaign, a record-setting pace for an Oregon GOP candidate. “Our momentum is unmistakable, Christine Drazan is ready to flip Oregon this November,”said John Burke, Drazan’s Communications Director. “Oregonians from all walks of life are stepping up and calling for change. Unlike Tina Kotek and Betsy Johnson, Christine is ready to deliver for them.” Earlier this week, Drazan released her first television ad of the general election, “Small Town,” highlighting her work for Oregon communities and contrasting her record with those of her opponents, Kotek and Johnson.