The money behind
the race for governor.

Named individuals supplied 50% of Drazan’s cash and businesses another 31%. Kotek’s largest share, at least 30%, came from unions and their committees, and 23% came from two national Democratic governors’ groups.

Kotek has raised more in total, $14.3 million to Drazan’s $12 million. Drazan has raised more from individuals, $5.96 million to $3.32 million, and more from businesses giving directly, $3.71 million to $1.31 million.

Kotek’s two largest sources are the Democratic Governors Association, at $2 million, and the Democratic Governors Victory Fund, at $1.25 million. Drazan’s filings show no contribution from the Republican Governors Association in this period. Her largest source is reported as Don H Jones, Jr. of Ashland, at $1.52 million.

Kotek received $100,000 or more from 20 sources, and together they account for 60% of her cash. Drazan received that much from 26 sources, who account for 55% of hers.

Both campaigns also have thousands of smaller donors. They are a large share of the names and a small share of the dollars.

Kotek’s biggest week began July 27, when the Democratic Governors Association gave $1.5 million. Drazan’s biggest week began August 31, when AGC Committee for Action, a contractors’ committee, gave $700,000.

By the end of September 2025, before either had announced, Kotek’s committee had raised $668,491 since January and Drazan’s had raised $68,139. Drazan’s committee was registered for a legislative seat until she entered the race on October 27, 2025. Kotek announced on December 4, 2025.

Both won their primaries on May 19. Drazan took the Republican nomination with 41% of the vote in a contested field, and Kotek won the Democratic nomination with 84%, according to results reported by the Oregon Capital Chronicle.

Oregon addresses account for 94% of Drazan’s named money. For Kotek the share is 55%, and $2.87 million came from Washington, D.C., where national unions and the Democratic Governors Association have their offices.

Counting only individual donors narrows the gap in where the money comes from. Oregonians gave Kotek $2.28 million in 7,999 gifts, which is 69% of her money from individuals. They gave Drazan $5.73 million in 4,721 gifts, or 96%.

A committee’s name rarely says where its money started. Its own filings often do.

Four of the eight union committees on Kotek’s list took in most of their money as gifts of $100 or less, which are reported in combined entries without names. Citizen Action for Political Education, the committee of SEIU Local 503, reported $1.54 million of its $1.8 million that way. The contractors’ committee that gave Drazan $703,500 received $1,004,436 of its $1,006,786 from one trade association chapter.

One committee on that list changed size during these records. On September 16, 2026 the North Coast States Regional Council of Carpenters gave $10 million to Building a Stronger Oregon. That committee has given Kotek $505,000 in these records, most recently on September 28. Ron Rowlett, the union’s director of government relations, told OPB the money “is to support multiple candidates and multiple measures from today moving forward.” These records cannot show how it will be spent.

Fourteen sources gave to both campaigns. Eleven of them gave more to Kotek, one gave more to Drazan and two gave the same amount to each.

Drazan’s committee has reported $10.2 million in payments, including $5.78 million for broadcast advertising. These records hold $5.31 million in payments by Kotek’s committee, including $2.32 million for broadcast, and none dated after August 26, 2026.

Kotek’s later payments exist. OPB reported on October 1, 2026 that her cash on hand had fallen to $4.4 million, well below the state’s September 27 figure. Her committee reports payments about 30 days after making them, and our latest download covered only transactions dated September 28 or later, so a month of her spending has not reached these records.

Drazan paid out $2.44 million in April and May 2026, the two months around the primary. Kotek paid out $307,417 in the same months.

A payment is dated when the campaign pays it. An advertising payment can cover airtime that runs weeks later, so the dates here show when money left the account and say less about when voters saw the ads.

On August 26, 2026, the last day these records have payments for both campaigns, Kotek had about $6.46 million in cash and Drazan about $1.5 million.

The two committees report on different schedules. Since June, Drazan’s has filed its payments a median of 1 day after making them, and Kotek’s a median of 30 days after. State law allows 30 days for most of the year and seven days in the final six weeks before an election.

That timing shaped the official balances. On September 27, 2026 the state’s summaries showed $8.38 million for Kotek and about $965,000 for Drazan, at a point when Kotek’s September spending was not yet on file. OPB reported on October 1, 2026, after more filings, that Kotek had $4.4 million on hand and Drazan roughly $1.6 million.