With only nine days until Oregonians select their next governor, the race between incumbent Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Republican challenger Ron Saxton remains close.
Students and community members will have a chance to see Kulongoski and other Oregon Democrats speak this afternoon as part of a voter rally in the EMU Amphitheater.
A mid-October poll found that about 47 percent of Oregon voters supported Kulongoski while 43 percent supported Saxton, with a margin of error of 3.4 percent, according to pollsters Zogby International/Wall Street Journal.
Kulongoski ranked as one of the least popular Democratic governors in an October SurveyUSA telephone survey. Thirty-nine percent of voters approved of his performance, while 56 percent disapproved.
Political science assistant professor Eric McGhee said Kulongoski had a fractured base going into the election based on decisions he made on issues such as balancing the budget and in dealing with the Oregon Public Employees Union.
Previous poll numbers have suggested that Saxton, who spoke to campaign staff members in Eugene last week, is doing well and gaining in support, McGhee said.
Saxton’s early use of election advertisements against Kulongoski has also helped him, McGhee said.
As of Thursday, Saxton’s campaign had spent $2.6 million on TV, radio and direct mail advertising over the past one-month period.
The Democratic Party has also held the Oregon governorship since the 1980s, which could lead to a sudden switch to the Republican Party, McGhee said.
However, voters’ perception of the national Republican Party is definitely a factor, and any statewide feeling against Republicans is in Kulongoski’s favor, he said.
McGhee said Oregon is a battleground state for both parties, and that Kulongoski’s position as a centrist helps him. Kulongoski could be re-elected by winning Portland and Eugene by large margins, while Saxton would need to focus on other cities and on the rural areas.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., will appear with Kulongoski today at 2 p.m. in the EMU Amphitheater.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.