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. The race was closer than expected due to recent revelations of potential ethical violations involving his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes. 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. 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, the last one where Tillamook County supported the Democratic candidate, and the last time that a man was elected Governor of Oregon. If Kitzhaber had served his full term, he would have become the second longest-serving governor in U.S. history. However, he resigned on February 18, 2015.
Background
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. In May 2010, he won the Democratic primary with 65% of the vote, defeating former secretary of state of Oregon Bill Bradbury. After a close general election campaign, Kitzhaber won the election with 49% to Republican nominee Chris Dudley's 48%.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Ifeanyichukwu Chijioke Diru
- John Kitzhaber, incumbent governor
Republican primary
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.
Candidates
Declared
- Tim Carr, businessman
- Gordon Challstrom, businessman
- Bruce Cuff, real estate broker
- Darren Karr, businessman and candidate for Governor in 2010
- Mae Rafferty, timber merchant
- Dennis Richardson, state representative
Withdrew
- Jon Justesen, businessman and rancher
Declined
- Allen Alley, businessman, former chairman of the Oregon Republican Party, nominee for Oregon State Treasurer in 2008 and candidate for Governor in 2010
- Chris Dudley, former NBA basketball player and nominee for Governor in 2010
- Bruce Hanna, state representative
- Gordon H. Smith, former U.S. Senator
- Greg Walden, U.S. Representative and Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee
Third parties
Candidates
Declared
- Aaron Auer (Constitution Party)
- Paul Grad (Libertarian Party)
- Chris Henry (Oregon Progressive Party)
- Jason Levin (Pacific Green Party)
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.
General election
Debates
- Complete video of debate, September 26, 2014
- Complete video of debate, October 14, 2014
- Complete video of debate, October 20, 2014
Polling
- ^ Internal poll for Dennis Richardson campaign
Results
By county
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Tillamook (largest city: Tillamook)
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Clatsop (largest city: Astoria)