Oregon Sen. Betsy Johnson of Warren plans to run for governor in 2022 without the backing of any political party, she announced in an email Thursday afternoon.
Johnson, who would be up for election in her northwest Oregon Senate district next year, will relinquish her Democratic party registration by the spring. She acknowledged it will take a lot of fund-raising and strategy to mount a competitive campaign without major party support.
“Taking on the entrenched two parties will be difficult and expensive,” Johnson wrote.
The longtime Democrat noted that she grew up in a moderate Republican family “and became a Democrat because the Republican Party had moved too far to the right. For twenty years, I’ve been an independent-minded, pro-choice, pro-jobs Democrat proudly serving the people of Northwest Oregon.”
Johnson is the third high-profile Democrat to announce their intention to run for governor in 2022, although she is the only candidate so far who is planning to run with no party. State Treasurer Tobias Read, also a Democrat, announced his plan to run in late September and House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, announced in early September that she will run. Former New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has signaled his intention to run including by forming a political action committee to fundraise.
Now that Johnson is running for governor, she cannot seek reelection to her Senate seat which will make it challenging for Democrats to hold onto the district. As redrawn by the majority Democratic Legislature, Johnson’s Senate district will be competitive and lean slightly Republican, according to The Oregonian/OregonLive’s analysis. That would not likely have posed a problem for Johnson, who sometimes sides with Republicans on issues such as gun safety regulations and a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade plan.
Johnson’s candidacy was first reported by the East Oregonian Media Group.
Casey Kulla, a farmer and Yamhill County commissioner, is also running in the Democratic primary for governor, as is Patrick Starnes, who ran for governor as an Independent in 2018 and received 2.9% of the vote. Starnes dropped out close to Election Day and endorsed Brown but his name was still on ballots.
Republicans running for governor, or reportedly weighing doing so, include Salem physician Bud Pierce, political consultant Bridget Barton, Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam and Medford businesswoman Jessica Gomez.
Johnson said that until she formally launches her campaign after Jan. 1, “I will be listening to Oregonians, raising money, and building a first-rate campaign organization. Next summer, I will be nominated for Oregon governor by the people through the power of their signatures.”
To get on the general election ballot this way, Johnson would need to gather signatures from a number of voters equal to 1% of the votes in the last presidential election, according to the state law laying out the process. Since Johnson is running for statewide office, that would be 1% of more than 2.3 million votes or 23,743 valid voter signatures.
— Hillary Borrud