Oregon races: Brown wins, Richardson breaks Dem stronghold

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, who rose to the state’s chief executive after the resignation of Gov. John Kitzhaber, defeated Republican Bud Pierce Tuesday in her bid to finish out the two remaining years of her predecessor’s term.

With nearly 1.8 million ballots counted by midday Wednesday, Democrat Brown had 50 percent of the vote to Pierce’s 43 percent. Independent Cliff Thomason had 2 percent.

In the hard-fought race for secretary of state, Dennis Richardson won his bid to become the first Republican to win a statewide election in over a decade, ahead of Democrat Brad Avakian 47 to 43 percent.

Richardson and Avakian are veteran politicians. In 2003, both came to the state House as freshmen lawmakers. Avakian has been labor commissioner since 2008. Richardson challenged John Kitzhaber and lost to him in the 2014 gubernatorial race.

In another close race, for state treasurer, Democrat Tobias Read narrowly defeated Republican Jeff Gudman, 44 to 41 percent. Independent and Bend resident Chris Telfer had 9 percent of the vote.

Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, who had the Democrat, Independent and Working Families party nominations, defeated Republican Daniel Zene Crowe, 54 to 41 percent.