Christine Drazan makes first public remarks on governor’s race

After vowing to fight until every vote was counted in her race to become Oregon’s next governor, Christine Drazan has released a statement. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declared victory on Tuesday night, leading Drazan with 51% of the vote, compared to Drazan’s 45%. Drazan, a Republican from Canby who serves in the Oregon state Senate, said Wednesday that though she didn’t win Tuesday’s election, she was proud of the campaign that she ran. In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, Drazan, 54, said that being an Oregonian means more than any political ideology. “I have never believed Oregon’s future belongs to one party or one political movement. It belongs to all of us,” she said. “We are neighbors before we are Republicans or Democrats. We share a home, and we share a responsibility for what becomes of it.” Tuesday’s election was the second time Drazan faced Kotek in the race for governor. She ran an unsuccessful bid for the governorship four years ago.

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