Oregon Election Results: Brown, Richardson, Rosenblum, Read Win Statewide Office

Governor Kate Brown decidedly defeated her Republican challenger, Dr. Bud Pierce, winning her first election as governor. Brown had been elevated from Secretary of State when John Kitzhaber resigned in a scandal in February 2015.

It was a vote of confidence in Brown, served 17 years in the state legislature before being elected Secretary of State in 2014. And while she was instrumental in getting the state's minimum wage raised, she had some early problems including a failure to get a transportation funding package passed.

She was certainly aided by Pierce who, in his first ever campaign, was at times his own worst enemy. In a debate he said that educated women don't become victims of sexual assault, a comment he apologized for at least three times.

SECRETARY OF STATE

It's fair to say that before Kate Brown was elevated from secretary of state to take over for John Kitzhaber that a lot of people didn't really pay attention to this office. But, without a lieutenant governor, this is the number two position in the state.

Say hello to Secretary of State Dennis Richardson.

Richardson, who lost a tight race to Kitzhaber in 2014, was on the right end of a tight race this time - beating State Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian.

The two have very different views of what the office should be doing. Avakian has prided himself on his activist bent while Richardson believes the office should be more traditional - focusing on business issues, conducting audits, and the day to day operation of government.

STATE TREASURER

The state treasurer is second in line after the secretary of state and. while the office is perceived as a somewhat staid one, it's worth noting that the current treasurer - Ted Wheeler - used ot as a jumping off pad to become Mayor of Portland.

This was a three way race with a Democrat, Republican, and Independent. All have some degree of financial experience. But Tobias Read, the Democrat, came out on top in a tight race.

Tead has been in the state house since 2006. He has a masters in business and was once an aide at the U.S. Treasury.

In second was Republican Jeff Gudman who is currently serving his second term on the Lake Oswego City Council. He got his masters in business administration at the Wharton School of Business. He is also currently the treasurer for the Legacy Emanuel Federation.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Ellen Rosenblum defeated Republican Daniel Zene Crowe by nearly 200,000 votes.

UNITED STATES SENATOR

Ron Wyden, Oregon's senior senator, is running for re-election. While he has a handful of challengers - a Republican, an Independent, someone from the Green Party, and someone from the Working Families Party, he is expected to win handily. Wyden, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has also excelled at making a name for himself by fighting for seniors, something that started when he founded the Grey Panthers.

It wasn't close. Wyden won by more than 350,000 votes.

MEASURE 94

A vote for this would eliminate the mandatory retirement age for state judges. Currently judges must retire at 75. The people no. They like the retirement age.

MEASURE 96

A vote for this means dedicating 1.5 percent of state lottery proceeds to funding support services for Oregon veterans. This won easily.

MEASURE 97

A vote for this would tax gross sales on companies that make more than $25 million a year and use the money to help fund education and services for seniors. If it passes, the state legislature estimates it will raise $6.1 billion in the 2017-2019 state budget. Governor Brown, who supports the measure, states that if it fails, budget cuts of around ten percent will be coming to state agencies. This lost in a blow to schools.

MEASURE 98

This measure would require state funding for dropout prevention, career and college readiness programs in Oregon high schools. The state estimates it will cost around $147 million a year but the measure does not include a funding mechanism, which means the money will have to come from elsewhere. Since it passed, look for budget cuts from other places - like elementary education.

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