Of the many close, close statehouse races around the country, one that caught my eye was the governor’s race in Oregon, where former Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) is trailing in his comeback attempt to former NBA player Chris Dudley (R). I spent a derelict two years in my early 20s in Portland waiting tables and aspiring to climb mountains, so I’m often frustrated by how little attention the state’s fascinating politics gets nationally.
Dudley’s lead is around a percentage point, which is pretty substantial. But there are a lot of uncounted ballots remaining in the liberal bastion of Multnomah County (Portland) and the latest report suggests that will be more than enough for Kitzhaber to make up the difference.
Late Update: The (Portland) Oregonian is now projecting Kitzhaber as the winner.
