2006 Oregon gubernatorial election
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November 7, 2006
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 County results Kulongoski: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Saxton: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Oregon |
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The 2006 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic Governor Ted Kulongoski ran for a second and final term. He faced several challengers in his primary, whom he dispatched to win his party's nomination a second time, while Republican nominee Ron Saxton, the former chair of the Portland Public Schools Board and a candidate for governor in 2002 emerged from a crowded primary. Kulongoski and Saxton were initially going to be challenged in the general election by State Senator Ben Westlund, but Westlund withdrew his candidacy before the general election. There were multiple independent and third party challengers on the ballot as well. In a hard-fought campaign, Kulongoski won re-election by a surprisingly wide margin. As of 2026, this marks the last occasion in which the following counties have voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election: Clackamas, Columbia, Marion, and Wasco.
Democratic primary
Ted Kulongoski
- 60–65%55–60%50–55%45–50%40–45%
Jim Hill
- 40–45%
Candidates
- Jim Hill, former Oregon State Treasurer, 2002 Democratic candidate for Governor of Oregon
- Ted Kulongoski, incumbent Governor of Oregon
- Peter Sorenson, Lane County Commissioner
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ted Kulongoski (inc.) | 170,944 | 53.56% | |
| Democratic | JJim Hill | 92,439 | 28.96% | |
| Democratic | Pete Sorenson | 51,346 | 16.09% | |
| Democratic | Scattering | 4,448 | 1.39% | |
| Total votes | 319,177 | 100.00% | ||
Republican primary
Ron Saxton
- 50–55%45–50%40–45%35–40%
Kevin Mannix
- 35–40%30–35%
Jason Atkinson
- 45–50%35–40%
Candidates
- Jason Atkinson, Oregon State Senator
- David W. Beem
- W. Ames Curtright
- Bob Leonard Forthan, perennial candidate
- Gordon Leitch
- Kevin Mannix, former Oregon State Representative, 2002 Republican nominee for Governor of Oregon
- Ron Saxton, former chair of the Portland Public Schools Board
- William E. Spidal
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ron Saxton | 125,286 | 41.69% | |
| Republican | Kevin Mannix | 89,553 | 29.80% | |
| Republican | Jason Atkinson | 67,057 | 22.31% | |
| Republican | W. Ames Curtright | 7,414 | 2.47% | |
| Republican | Gordon Leitch | 3,100 | 1.03% | |
| Republican | William E. Spidal | 2,537 | 0.84% | |
| Republican | David W. Beem | 1,659 | 0.55% | |
| Republican | Bob Leonard Forthan | 841 | 0.28% | |
| Republican | Scattering | 3,107 | 1.03% | |
| Total votes | 300,554 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Campaign
As the Democratic and Republican primaries intensified, State Senator Ben Westlund, a registered Republican, announced that he would run for governor as an independent.[2] Though Westlund gathered the requisite signatures to be able to run, he eventually dropped out of the race in August, noting, "At the beginning of this campaign, I made a commitment to the people of Oregon, that I was in it to win it, and that I absolutely would not play a spoiler role."[3] Constitution Party nominee Mary Starrett was widely perceived to win votes largely at the expense of Saxton's campaign.[4]
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[5] | Tossup | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Tilt D | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg Political Report[7] | Lean D | November 2, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[8] | Lean D | November 6, 2006 |
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Ted Kulongoski (D) |
Ron Saxton (R) |
Mary Starrett (C) |
Richard Morley (L) |
Joe Keating (G) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KATU/Oregonian[9] | October 31, 2006 | 45% | 38% | 6% | 1% | 1% |
| Rasmussen[10] | October 31, 2006 | 51% | 44% | — | — | — |
| Riley Research[11] | October 25, 2006 | 47% | 36% | 4% | 1% | 1% |
| Riley Research[12] | October 3, 2006 | 37% | 39% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
| Rasmussen[13] | October 1, 2006 | 47% | 42% | — | — | — |
| Rasmussen[14] | September 25, 2006 | 47% | 38% | — | — | — |
| Zogby Interactive Poll[15] | September 11, 2006 | 47% | 40% | 5% | 1% | — |
| Zogby Interactive Poll[15] | August 28, 2006 | 50% | 44% | — | — | — |
| Rasmussen[16] | August 22, 2006 | 49% | 35% | — | — | — |
| Rasmussen[17] | August 3, 2006 | 45% | 35% | — | — | — |
| Zogby Interactive Poll[15] | July 24, 2006 | 49% | 42% | — | — | — |
| Zogby Interactive Poll[15] | June 21, 2006 | 48% | 40% | — | — | — |
| Rasmussen[18] | May 23, 2006 | 43% | 41% | — | — | — |
| Zogby Interactive Poll[19] | March 22–27, 2006 | 46% | 39% | — | — | — |
| Rasmussen[20] | February 27, 2006 | 47% | 33% | — | — | — |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ted Kulongoski (inc.) | 699,786 | 50.73% | +1.70% | |
| Republican | Ron Saxton | 589,748 | 42.75% | −3.40% | |
| Constitution | Mary Starrett | 50,229 | 3.64% | ||
| Pacific Green | Joe Keating | 20,030 | 1.45% | ||
| Libertarian | Richard Morley | 16,798 | 1.22% | −3.36% | |
| Write-in | Scattering | 2,884 | 0.21% | ||
| Total votes | 1,379,475 | 100.00% | |||
| Majority | 110,038 | 7.98% | |||
| Democratic hold | Swing | +5.10% | |||
Results by county
| County[21] | Ted Kulongoski Democratic |
Kevin Mannix Republican |
Mary Starrett Constitution |
Joe Keating Green |
Richard Morley Libertarian |
Scattering Write-in |
Margin | Total votes cast | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Baker | 2,508 | 34.07% | 4,338 | 58.93% | 362 | 4.92% | 71 | 0.96% | 71 | 0.96% | 11 | 0.15% | -1,830 | -24.86% | 7,361 |
| Benton | 20,661 | 58.69% | 12,736 | 36.18% | 559 | 1.59% | 735 | 2.09% | 456 | 1.30% | 58 | 0.16% | 7,925 | 22.51% | 35,205 |
| Clackamas | 70,131 | 48.29% | 65,795 | 45.30% | 6,405 | 4.41% | 1,373 | 0.95% | 1,335 | 0.92% | 198 | 0.14% | 4,336 | 2.99% | 145,237 |
| Clatsop | 7,936 | 53.12% | 5,886 | 39.40% | 666 | 4.46% | 254 | 1.70% | 181 | 1.21% | 17 | 0.11% | 2,050 | 13.72% | 14,940 |
| Columbia | 9,291 | 47.89% | 8,032 | 41.40% | 1,577 | 8.13% | 226 | 1.16% | 238 | 1.23% | 38 | 0.20% | 1,259 | 6.49% | 19,402 |
| Coos | 10,977 | 43.64% | 12,103 | 48.12% | 1,215 | 4.83% | 416 | 1.65% | 410 | 1.63% | 31 | 0.12% | -1,126 | -4.48% | 25,152 |
| Crook | 2,518 | 30.14% | 5,333 | 63.85% | 313 | 3.75% | 69 | 0.83% | 98 | 1.17% | 22 | 0.26% | -2,815 | -33.70% | 8,353 |
| Curry | 4,162 | 41.09% | 5,332 | 52.64% | 282 | 2.78% | 165 | 1.63% | 158 | 1.56% | 31 | 0.31% | -1,170 | -11.55% | 10,130 |
| Deschutes | 23,631 | 40.85% | 31,256 | 54.04% | 1,368 | 2.37% | 784 | 1.36% | 682 | 1.18% | 122 | 0.21% | -7,625 | -13.18% | 57,843 |
| Douglas | 15,123 | 35.49% | 24,896 | 58.42% | 1,384 | 3.25% | 506 | 1.19% | 639 | 1.50% | 64 | 0.15% | 9,773 | 22.93% | 42,612 |
| Gilliam | 388 | 38.92% | 535 | 53.66% | 53 | 5.32% | 5 | 0.50% | 10 | 1.00% | 6 | 0.60% | -147 | -14.74% | 997 |
| Grant | 783 | 23.26% | 2,401 | 71.31% | 118 | 3.50% | 20 | 0.59% | 39 | 1.16% | 6 | 0.18% | -1,618 | -48.05% | 3,367 |
| Harney | 643 | 21.38% | 2,186 | 72.70% | 119 | 3.96% | 15 | 0.50% | 36 | 1.20% | 8 | 0.27% | -1,543 | -51.31% | 3,007 |
| Hood River | 4,352 | 58.54% | 2,554 | 34.36% | 331 | 4.45% | 124 | 1.67% | 63 | 0.85% | 10 | 0.13% | 1,798 | 24.19% | 7,434 |
| Jackson | 33,329 | 43.25% | 39,055 | 50.68% | 2,183 | 2.83% | 1,281 | 1.66% | 1,017 | 1.32% | 192 | 0.25% | -5,726 | -7.43% | 77,057 |
| Jefferson | 2,776 | 41.38% | 3,511 | 52.34% | 278 | 4.14% | 49 | 0.73% | 81 | 1.21% | 13 | 0.19% | -735 | -10.96% | 6,708 |
| Josephine | 11,900 | 36.39% | 18,321 | 56.02% | 1,398 | 4.27% | 525 | 1.61% | 474 | 1.45% | 86 | 0.26% | -6,421 | -19.63% | 32,704 |
| Klamath | 6,592 | 27.85% | 15,651 | 66.12% | 823 | 3.48% | 262 | 1.11% | 304 | 1.28% | 38 | 0.16% | -9,059 | -38.27% | 23,670 |
| Lake | 723 | 23.26% | 2,156 | 69.37% | 132 | 4.25% | 32 | 1.03% | 51 | 1.64% | 14 | 0.45% | -1,433 | -46.11% | 3,108 |
| Lane | 81,550 | 58.31% | 50,290 | 35.96% | 2,895 | 2.07% | 2,770 | 1.98% | 1,920 | 1.37% | 422 | 0.30% | 31,260 | 22.35% | 139,847 |
| Lincoln | 10,145 | 51.61% | 8,072 | 41.06% | 730 | 3.71% | 420 | 2.14% | 271 | 1.38% | 20 | 0.10% | 2,073 | 10.55% | 19,658 |
| Linn | 15,588 | 39.13% | 21,411 | 53.74% | 1,769 | 4.44% | 482 | 1.21% | 518 | 1.30% | 71 | 0.18% | -5,823 | -14.62% | 39,839 |
| Malheur | 2,357 | 29.10% | 5,296 | 65.37% | 273 | 3.37% | 75 | 0.93% | 94 | 1.16% | 6 | 0.07% | -2,939 | -36.28% | 8,101 |
| Marion | 45,304 | 46.64% | 44,474 | 45.79% | 4,968 | 5.12% | 1,083 | 1.12% | 962 | 0.99% | 335 | 0.34% | 830 | 0.85% | 97,126 |
| Morrow | 1,043 | 33.87% | 1,797 | 58.36% | 178 | 5.78% | 23 | 0.75% | 33 | 1.07% | 5 | 0.16% | -754 | -24.49% | 3,079 |
| Multnomah | 177,797 | 68.44% | 65,488 | 25.21% | 8,022 | 3.09% | 5,033 | 1.94% | 3,010 | 1.16% | 454 | 0.17% | 112,309 | 43.23% | 259,804 |
| Polk | 12,620 | 46.22% | 12,643 | 46.30% | 1,351 | 4.95% | 312 | 1.14% | 314 | 1.15% | 64 | 0.23% | -23 | -0.08% | 27,304 |
| Sherman | 331 | 35.36% | 529 | 56.52% | 54 | 5.77% | 10 | 1.07% | 10 | 1.07% | 2 | 0.21% | -198 | -21.15% | 936 |
| Tillamook | 5,356 | 49.42% | 4,745 | 43.78% | 473 | 4.36% | 136 | 1.25% | 109 | 1.01% | 19 | 0.18% | 611 | 5.64% | 10,838 |
| Umatilla | 7,182 | 37.86% | 10,554 | 55.64% | 775 | 4.09% | 193 | 1.02% | 243 | 1.28% | 22 | 0.12% | -3,372 | -17.78% | 18,969 |
| Union | 3,961 | 39.23% | 5,473 | 54.20% | 403 | 3.99% | 128 | 1.27% | 114 | 1.13% | 19 | 0.19% | -1,512 | -14.97% | 10,098 |
| Wallowa | 1,253 | 32.99% | 2,335 | 61.48% | 112 | 2.95% | 38 | 1.00% | 57 | 1.50% | 3 | 0.08% | -1,082 | -28.49% | 3,798 |
| Wasco | 4,307 | 47.00% | 4,057 | 44.27% | 547 | 5.97% | 121 | 1.32% | 117 | 1.28% | 15 | 0.16% | 250 | 2.73% | 9,164 |
| Washington | 88,292 | 51.10% | 73,907 | 42.77% | 6,133 | 3.55% | 1,954 | 1.13% | 2,275 | 1.32% | 222 | 0.13% | 14,385 | 8.33% | 172,783 |
| Wheeler | 233 | 31.74% | 422 | 57.49% | 52 | 7.08% | 9 | 1.23% | 13 | 1.77% | 5 | 0.68% | -189 | -25.75% | 734 |
| Yamhill | 14,043 | 42.41% | 16,178 | 48.86% | 1,928 | 5.82% | 331 | 1.00% | 395 | 1.19% | 235 | 0.71% | -2,135 | -6.45% | 33,110 |
| Total | 699,786 | 50.73% | 589,748 | 42.75% | 50,229 | 3.64% | 20,030 | 1.45% | 16,798 | 1.22% | 2,884 | 0.21% | 110,038 | 7.98% | 1,379,475 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Clackamas (largest city: Lake Oswego)
- Marion (largest city: Salem)
- Wasco (largest city: The Dalles)
- Washington (largest city: Hillsboro)
See also
- Oregon statewide elections, 2006
- 2006 United States gubernatorial elections
- List of Oregon Governors
References
- ^ a b "Official Results - May 16, 2006 Primary Election". Oregon Secretary of State.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Ben Westlund Withdraws From Oregon Governor's Race". Salem-News.Com.
- ^ "KATU - Portland, Oregon - News - Radio talk show host Mary Starrett to run for governor". Archived from the original on December 14, 2006.
- ^ "2006 Governor Race Ratings for November 6, 2006" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 5, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2006.
- ^ "Election Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ "2006 Gubernatorial Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ "Election 2006". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ KATU/Oregonian
- ^ Rasmussen
- ^ Riley Research Archived February 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Riley Research Archived November 3, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Rasmussen Archived October 12, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Rasmussen
- ^ a b c d Zogby Interactive Poll
- ^ Rasmussen
- ^ Rasmussen Archived October 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Rasmussen
- ^ Zogby Interactive Poll
- ^ Rasmussen
- ^ a b "Official Results - November 7, 2006 General Election". Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
Official campaigns websites