Oregon governor’s race a nail-biter with 3rd candidate

By ANDREW SELSKY
Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s gubernatorial election, usually a shoo-in for the Democratic candidate, has turned into a nail-biter with the Republican challenger so close in early returns that the race was too early to call. An hour after polls closed with 40% of statewide votes counted, Democrat Tina Kotek and Republican Christine Drazan were almost even with unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson a distant third, according to unofficial results from the secretary of state’s office. The three women, all former legislators, are the top candidates to become the next governor of a state that hasn’t elected a Republican to the office in 40 years.