The claim that “famous climate deniers and union busters the Koch Brothers” are trying to buy the race for Christine Drazan does not match the donor data.

Oh no. Busted again

Your people crack me up:

Someone checked the actual public filings and the results.

The claim that “famous climate deniers and union busters the Koch Brothers” are trying to buy the race for Christine Drazan does not match the donor data. Drazan’s major reported support in the 2026 cycle has come primarily from Oregon-based individuals and businesses (construction, timber, auto dealers, plywood, and related PACs such as Associated General Contractors), with a large share of in-state money and a recent $1 million from the Republican Governors Association. No large, itemized Koch Industries or Koch-family contributions appear as top donors in the available ORESTAR-based reporting for this cycle. In 2022 the top sources were the RGA and Oregon/business interests (plus Phil Knight), not the Kochs.

By contrast, Tina Kotek’s fundraising is dominated by national Democratic groups (Democratic Governors Association and related funds in the millions) and organized labor PACs. These include SEIU 503’s Citizen Action for Political Education ($1 million), the Oregon Nurses PAC ($820,000), carpenters-linked committees (hundreds of thousands, with related PACs receiving very large infusions), AFSCME, teachers’ unions, and electricians’ locals. Unions and their committees account for a large share of her cash, consistent with prior cycles.

Climate and energy agenda
Oregon’s aggressive clean-electricity mandates (including the 2021 law aiming for major emissions reductions and a 2040 clean-electricity goal) have not produced a reliable, affordable supply that matches demand growth. Transmission constraints controlled largely by the Bonneville Power Administration have blocked nearly all of the hundreds of large renewable projects that applied to connect since 2015 (only a handful approved). Utilities such as PGE and PacifiCorp remain well behind the timelines needed to hit intermediate targets. Residential electricity rates for major utilities have risen more than 50% over recent multi-year periods—far above inflation—while reliability concerns persist during peak demand and extreme weather. Kotek has issued executive orders to accelerate permitting and align agencies with the Energy Strategy, yet the structural bottlenecks, higher costs, and risk of shortages or continued reliance on imports remain. Oregon’s contribution to global emissions is tiny; the practical result for residents has been higher bills and constrained new generation rather than a sustainable, resilient supply.

Unions and schools
Oregon’s teacher unions rank among the nation’s strongest in political influence and resources. The 2019 Student Success Act delivered a large ongoing funding increase (corporate activities tax generating roughly $1.5 billion annually for education). Per-pupil spending is above the national average and teacher compensation is competitive. Despite this, academic outcomes lag: fourth-grade reading ranks near or at the bottom nationally in adjusted analyses, state proficiency rates remain low (roughly 40% range for English language arts and low 30s for math in recent assessments), and graduation gains have not been matched by proficiency. Unions have successfully shaped funding formulas, opposed certain accountability and curriculum reforms used successfully elsewhere, and secured provisions such as unemployment benefits for striking public employees. Local control and collective bargaining leave outcomes highly variable while overall results stay weak relative to spending.

The donor attack on Drazan does not hold up against the public records. Kotek’s coalition is the one heavily powered by public-sector and building-trades unions plus national Democratic committees. Those same unions exercise substantial influence over education policy and funding in a state where results have not improved in proportion to the money. On energy, the state’s climate-driven mandates have produced higher rates and persistent delivery constraints rather than a demonstrably sustainable, reliable system capable of meeting growing demand without cost and reliability trade-offs.

— MessageFromTheMindField (@MsgFrmThMndFld) October 11, 2026