Sen. Jeff Merkley gives remarks at a press briefing subsequent to a weekly strategy meeting with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on May 12, 2026, in Washington, DC.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Oregon voters submitted ballots in significant contests during Tuesday’s primary, notably including a contest for governor and a Senate contest.
Oregon utilizes mail-in voting, where registered voters are sent a ballot via the postal service without needing to request or apply for it. Ballots needed to be in the possession of any county elections office or official ballot drop location by 8 p.m. local time.
State importance
ABC News predicts that Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek will easily secure the Democratic primary for governor. Kotek is vying for a second term in a consistently Democratic state where Democrats have occasionally found it challenging to harmonize a statewide message with Portland’s progressive policies.
Republicans haven’t secured the governorship in four decades, yet this year’s primary presents an unusually transparent glimpse into the party’s trajectory.
Oregon State Capitol building in Salem, Ore.STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images
On the Republican side, ABC News anticipates Christine Drazan will capture the nomination. The field also featured David Medina, an extreme right-wing social media personality who received a pardon after facing charges related to the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol; Chris Dudley, a moderate former NBA athlete supported by the business sector; and Ed Diehl.
In the Senate contest, Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, who is running for a fourth term, was predicted to comfortably prevail in his primary. Seven Republicans were competing in the GOP primary.
All six of Oregon’s members in the House are seeking to be reelected. To date, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has only designated Rep. Janelle Bynum to its “frontline” list of potentially at-risk incumbents.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com