Betsy Johnson, who once belonged to — and then quit — both the Democratic and Republican parties, is betting on dissatisfaction among voters to boost her run.
A former lawmaker in Oregon who as a young woman flew a helicopter around an erupting Mount St. Helens is aiming to shake up state politics by running as an unaffiliated candidate for governor.
A former lawmaker in Oregon is aiming to shake up state politics by running as an unaffiliated candidate for governor. Betsy Johnson's campaign war chest already tops $8.6 million, including $1.75 million from Nike co-founder Phil Knight. That's more than the Democratic and Republican candidates combined. She sees a path to victory with the increasing polarization of the two major parties. If she gets enough signatures to find a place on the ballot, the 71-year-old will be running against Democratic nominee Tina Kotek, a former Oregon House speaker, and Republican nominee Christine Drazan, a former House minority leader.
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