PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — Christine Drazan almost became governor in 2022. The Republican from Canby drew 44% of the vote to Governor Tina Kotek’s 47%.
The former House Republican leader hasn’t stepped too far out of the political spotlight. In 2023, she formed an organization called A New Direction for Oregon.
Now, that organization is taking aim at Measure 110, Oregon’s drug decriminalization law. One of the major problems with the measure involves not enough treatment options, including a shortage of thousands of mental health and substance abuse beds. This is going to be a top issue during the short legislative session beginning Monday, where the Democrats have proposed a plan to re-criminalize drugs to make it a Class C misdemeanor.
As this week’s guest on Eye on Northwest Politics, Drazan discussed whether the Democrats’ proposed plan is enough, her solution to the fentanyl crisis, her opinion on the Oregon Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Measure 113 and the goals A New Direction for Oregon plans to tackle.