Christine Drazan, the former Oregon House Minority Leader, secured victory Tuesday in Oregon’s Republican gubernatorial primary, emerging from a crowded field as Republicans look to reclaim the governor’s office in a state Democrats have controlled for nearly 40 years.

The Republican primary featured several notable candidates, including former Portland Trail Blazers player and businessman Chris Dudley, state Rep. Ed Diehl, and Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell.

Drazan entered the race with strong statewide recognition following her narrow defeat to Democratic Governor Tina Kotek in the 2022 gubernatorial election.

Throughout the campaign, candidates focused heavily on issues such as homelessness, public safety, drug policy, and the rising cost of living. Republicans argued that Democratic leadership in Salem and Portland has failed to effectively address these growing concerns.

Diehl centered his campaign on lowering taxes and cutting government spending, while Bethell emphasized homelessness, public safety, and government accountability.

Dudley, a former NBA player and political newcomer, campaigned as an outsider with backing from prominent Oregon business leaders, including Nike co-founder Phil Knight.

Republicans believe mounting voter frustration over crime, homelessness, and affordability could make Oregon’s upcoming gubernatorial race more competitive than in previous years. Drazan is now set to face incumbent Governor Tina Kotek in November, according to Fox News.

Kotek has faced criticism over the state’s homelessness crisis, including increases in the unsheltered population, struggles to expand housing capacity, and concerns surrounding education and transportation funding. Despite the criticism, she faced little opposition in her bid for a second term.

Meanwhile, Republican candidates endorsed by President Donald Trump continue to notch primary victories across the country, often defeating incumbents who either opposed Trump or declined to fully support his agenda.

Among the most notable defeats was Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who lost his Tuesday primary to former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein.

The developments come as Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters said Republicans could potentially outspend Democrats during this election cycle, reversing a long-standing Democratic fundraising advantage.

Speaking with Breitbart, Gruters argued that Republicans are entering the midterm cycle with stronger financial footing and greater coordination across the conservative movement.

Host Mike Slater asked Gruters to put the reported $70 million Democrats spent during Virginia’s recent redistricting battle into perspective.

“How much money is that for the parties?” Slater asked.

Gruters responded, “The DNC has minus 4 million [dollars], and it wasn’t the DNC that plowed $70 million: It was the collective.”

“So, if you look at the collective on the right, we may have $800 million,” he continued.

“The collective on the left may have $350 million, and when you have the court, there’s gonna be a court case that is ruled on in the next week or two, coordinated campaign limits, which will magnify that, which will allow full coordination and allow the parties to spend at the candidate rate, which is massive for us,” he said.

Gruters argued the current financial environment could represent a major shift from previous election cycles.

“When you have that financial advantage, people, you know, people don’t know that the Democrats routinely spend more than us on election cycles, because they have more massive donors and that will write massive checks,” he said.

“But this time, this cycle [we] will either spend a parity or will outspend them, and that’s never happened before,” he added.

According to Gruters, the Republican National Committee is currently in a much stronger financial position than the Democratic National Committee.

He stated that the RNC currently has “about $125 million” available, while describing the DNC as operating with negative cash reserves.