The 2018 Oregon gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the governor of Oregon to serve a full four-year term. In the 2016 special election, Democratic Governor Kate Brown had been elected to serve the last two years of John Kitzhaber's term.

The Republican Party nominated Knute Buehler, her opponent in the 2012 Oregon secretary of state election; the Independent Party of Oregon nominated Patrick Starnes. Brown, running for a full term, won the election; because of term limits, she became ineligible to seek the governorship again.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Kate Brown, incumbent governor Ed Jones Candace Neville

Endorsements

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared Keenan Bohach Knute Buehler, orthopedic surgeon, state representative and nominee for secretary of state in 2012 Sam Carpenter, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 and 2016 Jonathan Edwards III Brett Hyland Jeff Smith, small business owner David Stauffer Jack Tracy Greg Wooldridge, former Blue Angels commanding officer

Withdrew Bruce Cuff, real estate broker and candidate for governor in 2014 and 2016 (endorsed Greg Wooldridge)

Declined Lori Chavez-DeRemer, mayor of Happy Valley and nominee for the state house in 2016 Cedric Ross Hayden, state representative Mike McLane, House minority leader Bud Pierce, physician and nominee for governor in 2016 Bill Post, state representative Dennis Richardson, Oregon secretary of state, former state representative and nominee for governor in 2014

Endorsements

Debates + Hostnetwork Date Link(s) ParticipantsKnuteBuehlerSamCarpenterGregWooldridge KXL-FM May 11, 2018 Lars Larson Debate – YouTube Invited Invited Invited

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error KnuteBuehler SamCarpenter Lori GregWooldridge Other UndecidedGlobal Strategy Group (D)Global Strategy Group (D) May 3–6, 2018 438 ± 4.7% 33% 25% – 8% – 33%Triton Polling & Research (R-Carpenter)Triton Polling & Research (R-Carpenter) April 19–22, 2018 1,013 ± 3.1% 39% 24% – 12% 6% 20%Triton Polling & Research (R-Carpenter)Triton Polling & Research (R-Carpenter) March 19–25, 2018 628 – 23% 23% – 4% – 50%iCitizeniCitizen September 13–28, 2017 168 ± 3.9% 28% – 8% 31% 6% 26%

Results

Independent Party primary

Candidates

Declared Skye Allen Dan Pistoresi Patrick Starnes

Results

General election

Debates Complete video of debate, October 2, 2018 Third party debate, featuring Nick Chen (L), Patrick Starnes (I), and Chris Henry (P), hosted by former Green Party candidate Alex DiBlasi, October 6, 2018 Complete video of debate, October 9, 2018

Predictions SourceRankingAs ofThe Cook Political Report October 26, 2018The Washington Post November 5, 2018FiveThirtyEight November 5, 2018Rothenberg Political Report November 1, 2018Sabato's Crystal Ball November 5, 2018RealClearPolitics November 4, 2018Daily Kos November 5, 2018Fox News November 5, 2018Politico November 5, 2018Governing November 5, 2018

Polling

Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdated KateBrown (D) KnuteBuehler (R) Other/UndecidedMarginReal Clear PoliticsReal Clear PoliticsOctober 4–30, 2018October 30, 201844.0%39.7%16.3%Brown +4.3% Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error KateBrown (D) KnuteBuehler (R) PatrickStarnes (IPO) Other UndecidedHoffman Research GroupHoffman Research Group October 29–30, 2018 694 ± 3.7% 45% 42% 4% 2%Aaron Auer (C) and Nick Chen (L) with 1% 7%Emerson CollegeEmerson College October 26–28, 2018 747 ± 3.7% 47% 42% – 7% 4%DHM ResearchDHM Research October 4–11, 2018 500 ± 4.4% 40% 35% 4% 3%Nick Chen (L) and Chris Henry (P) with 1%, Aaron Auer (C) with <1%, somebody else with 1% 17%Riley Research AssociatesRiley Research Associates September 24 – October 7, 2018 356 ± 5.0% 49% 45% 4% 3%Nick Chen (L) with 2%, Aaron Aauer (C) with 1% –Clout Research (R)Clout Research (R) September 20–23, 2018 679 ± 3.8% 42% 41% – – –Hoffman Research GroupHoffman Research Group September 12–13, 2018 680 ± 3.8% 46% 36% 4% 2% 12%Causeway Solutions (R-No Supermajorities PAC)Causeway Solutions (R-No Supermajorities PAC) September 6–11, 2018 2,831 ± 2.0% 41% 43% – – –Clout Research (R)Clout Research (R) July 30–31, 2018 559 ± 4.1% 42% 43% – – 15%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing July 16–17, 2018 770 ± 3.5% 45% 45% – – 10%Triton Polling & Research (R-Carpenter) March 19–25, 2018 2,067 ± 2.2% 41% 46% – – 14%DHM ResearchDHM Research January 25–31, 2018 604 ± 4.0% 46% 29% – – 25%Zogby AnalyticsZogby Analytics November 10–12, 2017 508 ± 4.4% 39% 36% – – 25%iCitizen September 13–28, 2017 645 ± 3.9% 41% 40% – 11% 8%

with Sam Carpenter Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error KateBrown (D) SamCarpenter (R) Other UndecidedTriton Polling & Research (R-Carpenter) March 19–25, 2018 2,067 ± 2.2% 41% 46% – 13%Zogby Analytics November 10–12, 2017 508 ± 4.4% 38% 36% – 26%

with Greg Wooldridge Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error KateBrown (D) GregWooldridge (R) Other UndecidedTriton Polling & Research (R-Carpenter) March 19–25, 2018 2,067 ± 2.2% 42% 47% – 11%iCitizen September 13–28, 2017 645 ± 3.9% 42% 39% 11% 7%

with Lori Chavez-DeRemer Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error KateBrown (D) LoriChavez-DeRemer (R) Other UndecidediCitizen September 13–28, 2017 645 ± 3.9% 40% 34% 17% 8%

Results

By county County Kate BrownDemocratic Knute BuehlerRepublican Various candidatesOther parties Margin Total votes cast % # % # % # % #Baker19.0%1,57272.9%6,0238.1%669-53.9%-4,4518,264Benton60.1%26,59233.9%14,9906.3%2,64926.2%11,60244,231Clackamas45.5%91,08849.2%98,4685.3%10,710-3.7%-7,380200,266Clatsop48.0%8,90944.7%8,2947.3%1,3553.3%61518,558Columbia38.7%9,51952.6%12,9538.7%2,145-13.9%-3,43424,617Coos33.5%9,62257.5%16,5209.0%2,585-24.0%-6,89828,727Crook19.8%2,28573.8%8,5166.4%735-54.0%-6,23111,536Curry35.9%4,14156.1%6,4748.0%918-20.2%-2,33311,533Deschutes42.3%40,67652.0%49,9835.7%5,440-9.7%-9,30796,099Douglas24.0%11,82465.8%32,41310.2%5,001-41.8%-20,58949,238Gilliam22.0%21869.6%6918.4%114-47.6%-473993Grant16.8%64975.9%2,9237.4%281-59.1%-2,2743,853Harney16.5%58476.7%2,7226.8%241-60.2%-3433,547Hood River59.9%6,48535.0%3,7895.1%55424.9%2,69610,828Jackson41.4%42,20750.7%51,6237.9%8,077-9.3%-9,416101,907Jefferson29.8%2,63562.3%5,5187.9%699-32.5%-2,8838,852Josephine30.2%12,21460.5%24,4999.3%3,757-30.3%-12,28540,470Klamath22.3%6,30167.7%19,13410.0%2,821-45.4%-12,83328,256Lake13.4%47678.0%2,7748.6%307-64.6%-22,983,557Lane54.7%96,84138.2%67,7377.1%12,59416.5%29,104177,172Lincoln52.1%12,61040.8%9,8847.9%1,72511.3%2,72624,219Linn30.1%16,46160.5%33,0519.4%5,150-30.4%-16,59054,662Malheur24.1%2,15966.9%6,0009.0%811-42.8%-3,8418,970Marion43.5%55,23849.9%63,3236.6%8,417-6.4%-8,085126,978Morrow22.5%84467.5%2,53410.0%376-45.0%-1,6903,754Multnomah73.9%279,38422.1%83,5074.0%15,20751.8%195,877378,098Polk41.6%15,52951.8%19,3416.6%2,445-10.2%-3,81237,315Sherman19.3%19074.7%7366.0%59-55.4%-546985Tillamook42.7%5,61650.3%6,6067.3%920-7.6%-99013,142Umatilla29.4%7,08563.0%15,1787.6%1,845-33.6%-8,09324,108Union24.5%2,87767.9%7,9837.6%896-43.4%-5,10611,756Wallowa27.0%1,08866.2%2,6686.8%276-39.2%-1,5804,032Wasco40.5%4,60451.4%5,8418.1%912-10.9%-1,23711,357Washington55.5%137,88639.2%97,2865.3%13,30716.3%40,600248,479Wheeler19.3%15872.6%5948.1%66-53.3%-436818Yamhill39.1%17,93153.3%24,4127.6%3,477-14.2%-6,48145,820

By congressional district Brown carried two out of the state's five congressional districts, losing two swing districts that simultaneously voted for Democrats in the US House.

District KateBrown KnuteBuehler ElectedRepresentative 54% 41%Suzanne Bonamici 35% 57%Greg Walden 69% 26%Earl Blumenauer 45% 47%Peter DeFazio 46% 48%Kurt Schrader

Notes

References

External links Candidates at Vote Smart Candidates at Ballotpedia

Official campaign websites Aaron Auer (C) for Governor Kate Brown (D) for Governor Knute Buehler (R) for Governor Alex DiBlasi (G) for Governor Patrick Starnes (I) for Governor Nick Chen (L) for Governor