PORTLAND, Ore. — Current state Treasurer Tobias Read is projected to win the Democratic primary election for Oregon secretary of state, according to The Oregonian, based on the first round of early results Tuesday night. State Sen. Dennis Linthicum is projected to win the Republican primary.
Democratic State Sen. Elizabeth Steiner is projected to win the party's primary race for state treasurer, according to The Oregonian, with State Sen. Brian Boquist running unopposed on the Republican side. Oregon House Speaker Dan Rayfield is the projected Democratic primary winner for attorney general, according to The Oregonian, and attorney Will Lanthrop is projected to win the Republican race.
All three high-level state positions have open races this year; current Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade is an appointee who said from the start that she only intends to serve out her predecessor's term, current Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum opted not to run again and the current treasurer, Read, is term limited and running for secretary of state.
Some of Oregon's nonpartisan races could be decided by the primary results alone if one candidate manages to get at least 50% of the vote, but the three statewide races are all partisan contests with separate closed primaries. In each race, the winner of each party's primary will face their counterpart on the general election ballot in November.
Secretary of state
Read and state Sen. James Manning are considered the frontrunners in the Democratic primary for secretary of state, while the Republican primary is a faceoff between Linthicum and Brent Barker, who previously ran for Oregon labor commissioner in 2022.
"In a time when we are constantly reminded of our divisions, as I’ve spent time across the state, I’ve been struck at how much more we have in common. We care about our communities, our families and building a better future for our kids. And when it comes to the work of the Secretary of State, we care about protecting our democracy, our natural heritage, and ensuring that our state government is making a difference for the people who rely on the critical services our tax dollars provide," Read wrote in an email to supporters Tuesday night.
State treasurer
The Democratic primary is a faceoff between Steiner and former Lake Oswego city councilor Jeff Gudman, while Boquist is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
"I am immensely grateful for the outpouring of support our campaign has received from Oregonians around the state. I want to thank my friends, family, staff, and all our volunteers who put in the work to bring us here. Tonight’s result is a statement on the strength of the movement we have built together over the past nine months," Steiner wrote in part in a statement.
Attorney general
Rayfield is considered the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for attorney general, facing off against attorney Shaina Maxey Pomerantz. In the Republican primary, Lathrop is facing Michael Cross.
"I’m incredibly grateful and honored by the support of so many Oregonians today," Rayfield wrote, in part, in a statement Tuesday night. "This election has been a great opportunity to talk with people in communities across the state about our shared values and the most important priorities for the next Attorney General. I want to thank Shaina Maxey Pomerantz for the respectful campaign and the opportunity to debate important issues along the way."
"Tonight's results are further evidence that public safety is the number one concern for Oregonians across the state," Lanthrop wrote in part in a statement. "Change is needed. I represent a dawn of new leadership that is focused on public service and problem solving - not partisan politics. As Oregon's next Attorney General I will prioritize keeping Oregonians safe by holding drug traffickers accountable, protecting children from violence, abuse, and online exploitation, and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy on public corruption."
