© 2024 | Jefferson Public Radio
Southern Oregon University
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6301 | 800.782.6191
a service of Southern Oregon University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Follow the results of Oregon's May 17th primary election ...

OR Governor: Brown V Pierce In November

campaigns/JPArt

Oregon's emergency governor made a major step toward election by winning the Democratic Primary Tuesday night.  Kate Brown will face Republican Bud Pierce in the November general election.

Brown faced a field of political unknowns among Democrats, while Pierce, a Salem oncologist, had a tougher fight against former state GOP chair Allen Alley and some lesser-known names.

In the end, both cruised to their respective nominations.

Brown became governor upon the resignation of John Kitzhaber in February 2015.  She had been Secretary of State.  Since Kitzhaber departed before the middle of a four-year term, Oregon law required this year's vote for a two-year term.

Pierce will now turn his attention to breaking a long losing streak for the Republican party.  The last time Oregon voters put a member of the GOP in the governor's office was with the election of Vic Atiyeh in 1982.Two Independent Party of Oregon candidates also faced off in a primary; results are pending.

Geoffrey Riley is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has hosted the Jefferson Exchange on JPR since 2009. He's been a broadcaster in the Rogue Valley for more than 35 years, working in both television and radio.