See also: 2014 Oregon state elections.
| Election Name: | 2014 Oregon gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Oregon |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2010 Oregon gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2010 |
| Next Election: | 2016 Oregon gubernatorial special election |
| Next Year: | 2016 (special) |
| Election Date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Image1: | File:Governor Kitzhaber (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | John Kitzhaber |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Alliance1: | Working Families Party |
| Popular Vote1: | 733,230 |
| Percentage1: | 49.89% |
| Nominee2: | Dennis Richardson |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Alliance2: | Independent Party of Oregon |
| Popular Vote2: | 648,542 |
| Percentage2: | 44.13% |
| Map Size: | 260px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | John Kitzhaber |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | John Kitzhaber |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 2014 Oregon gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor of Oregon, concurrently with other elections in Oregon and across the United States.
Incumbent Democrat John Kitzhaber defeated Republican state legislator Dennis Richardson, winning his fourth overall, and second consecutive, four-year term as governor.[1] The race was closer than expected due to recent revelations of potential ethical violations involving his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes.[1] Most news outlets called the election in his favor by 9:00 p.m. on election night. Kitzhaber thanked his supporters for a successful race, while Richardson refused to concede due to the close tally.[2] Four third party candidates also appeared on the ballot, with each winning less than 2% of the vote.
Kitzhaber and Richardson were nominated in the primary election on May 20, 2014. As of 2022, this is the last gubernatorial election in Oregon where Clatsop County supported the Republican candidate, and the last one where Tillamook County supported the Democratic candidate.
If Kitzhaber had served his full term, he would have become the second longest-serving governor in U.S. history.[3] Kitzhaber, however, resigned as governor on February 18, 2015.[4]
This is the last time that a man was elected Governor of Oregon.
See also: John Kitzhaber and Dennis Richardson (politician). Physician and then-President of the Oregon State Senate John Kitzhaber was first elected governor in 1994, and was re-elected in 1998. Term limits prevented him from running in 2002. He considered running in 2006, but decided not to; incumbent Democrat Ted Kulongoski was re-elected. In September 2009, Kitzhaber announced that he would seek a third term as governor in 2010.[5] In May 2010, he won the Democratic primary with 65% of the vote, defeating former secretary of state of Oregon Bill Bradbury.[6] After a close general election campaign, Kitzhaber won the election with 49% to Republican nominee Chris Dudley's 48%.
A Republican had not won a statewide race in Oregon since incumbent senator Gordon H. Smith was re-elected in 2002 and a Republican has not been elected governor since Victor G. Atiyeh was re-elected in 1982. At the annual Dorchester Conference for activists in March 2013, Oregon Republicans acknowledged the difficulties they faced. At the Conference, "the lack of activity was so pronounced that the conference's Saturday night satirical show ran a video that began with an announcer intoning, "Now we go live to the 2014 Republican governor's debate." The camera then panned over a debate stage with two empty chairs, the monotony broken only by a broom-wielding janitor." High-profile Republicans have all passed on the election and while attendees split on whether the party needed to change its policies, they agreed that the party needed to be a "big tent" again.[9] [10]
Additionally, under Oregon's Electoral fusion law, Democratic nominee John Kitzhaber was nominated by the Working Families Party of Oregon, and Republican nominee Dennis Richardson was nominated by the Independent Party of Oregon.
| Source | Ranking | As of | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | The Cook Political Report[22] | November 3, 2014 | ||
| align=left | Sabato's Crystal Ball[23] | November 3, 2014 | ||
| align=left | Rothenberg Political Report[24] | November 3, 2014 | ||
| align=left | Real Clear Politics[25] | November 3, 2014 |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | class=small | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kitzhaber (D) | Dennis | Other | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elway Research[26] | October 26–27, 2014 | 403 | ± 5% | align=center | 45% | 38% | 2%[27] | 9% | |
| SurveyUSA[28] | October 23–27, 2014 | 552 | ± 4.3% | align=center | 50% | 40% | 6% | 5% | |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov[29] | October 16–23, 2014 | 1,421 | ± 4% | align=center | 48% | 42% | 1% | 10% | |
| SurveyUSA[30] | October 16–19, 2014 | 561 | ± 4.2% | align=center | 51% | 38% | 6% | 6% | |
| DHM Research[31] | October 2014 | ? | ± 4.3% | align=center | 50% | 29% | 6% | 15% | |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov[32] | September 20–October 1, 2014 | 1,508 | ± 3% | align=center | 49% | 42% | 0% | 8% | |
| SurveyUSA[33] | September 22–24, 2014 | 568 | ± 4.2% | align=center | 50% | 38% | 5% | 8% | |
| Rasmussen Reports[34] | September 2–3, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | align=center | 48% | 38% | 4% | 10% | |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov[35] | August 18–September 2, 2014 | 1,541 | ± 4% | align=center | 48% | 42% | 1% | 8% | |
| Moore Information^[36] | August 5–9, 2014 | 500 | ± 4% | align=center | 45% | 41% | — | 13% | |
| SurveyUSA[37] | August 1–5, 2014 | 564 | ± 4.2% | align=center | 48% | 36% | 7% | 9% | |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov[38] | July 5–24, 2014 | 2,082 | ± 2.6% | align=center | 52% | 42% | 1% | 5% | |
| On Message, Inc.^[39] | June 22–24, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | align=center | 42% | 38% | — | 16% | |
| SurveyUSA[40] | June 5–9, 2014 | 560 | ± 4.2% | align=center | 48% | 35% | 10% | 7% | |
| Public Policy Polling[41] | May 22–27, 2014 | 956 | ± 3.2% | align=center | 49% | 36% | — | 15% | |
| DHM Research[42] | May 2014 | 400 | ± 4.9% | align=center | 48% | 36% | — | 16% | |
| Harper Polling[43] | April 1–2, 2014 | 670 | ± 3.91% | align=center | 46% | 43% | — | 11% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | class=small | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kitzhaber (D) | Allen Alley (R) | Other | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling[44] | December 3–5, 2012 | 614 | ± 4% | align=center | 52% | 37% | — | 12% | |
| Public Policy Polling[45] | June 21–24, 2012 | 686 | ± 3.7% | align=center | 46% | 36% | — | 18% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | class=small | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kitzhaber (D) | Jason Atkinson (R) | Other | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | June 21–24, 2012 | 686 | ± 3.7% | align=center | 45% | 30% | — | 24% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | class=small | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kitzhaber (D) | Bruce Hanna (R) | Other | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | December 3–5, 2012 | 614 | ± 4% | align=center | 52% | 33% | — | 15% | |
| Public Policy Polling | June 21–24, 2012 | 686 | ± 3.7% | align=center | 46% | 33% | — | 21% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | class=small | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kitzhaber (D) | Gordon H. Smith (R) | Other | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | December 3–5, 2012 | 614 | ± 4% | align=center | 47% | 42% | — | 11% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | class=small | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kitzhaber (D) | Bruce Starr (R) | Other | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | December 3–5, 2012 | 614 | ± 4% | align=center | 53% | 31% | — | 16% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | class=small | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kitzhaber (D) | Greg Walden (R) | Other | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | December 3–5, 2012 | 614 | ± 4% | align=center | 49% | 40% | — | 11% | |
| Public Policy Polling | June 21–24, 2012 | 686 | ± 3.7% | align=center | 42% | 41% | — | 17% |
Official campaign websites (Archived)