Oregon
David Brock Smith wins GOP primary for US Senate in Oregon, will face incumbent Merkley
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — David Brock Smith won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Oregon on Friday, in the last significant race to be called following the state’s May 19 primary election.
Brock Smith, a state senator, emerged from a field of seven candidates to challenge the incumbent, Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, in November.
“This campaign is about putting Oregon first. Fighting for affordable living, safer communities, good-paying jobs, responsible government, and protecting the values that make our beloved state strong,” he said in a statement. “This election is bigger than politics. It’s about restoring hope, opportunity, and accountability for every Oregonian.”
Merkley, who was first elected in 2008, is viewed as having a generally safe seat since Oregon hasn’t elected a Republican U.S. senator since 2002. His campaign did not immediately respond Friday evening to a request for comment on Brock Smith’s win.
Friday’s result comes after other high-profile contests were called on election night, including a gas tax referendum and the Republican primary for governor that set up a November rematch for the state’s top job.
Voters overwhelmingly rejected the ballot measure that asked them whether to raise the state gas tax by 6 cents to 46 cents a gallon. The Democratic-controlled Legislature passed the contested gas tax increase and a series of fees last year to help fix roads and plug a gap in the state’s transportation budget. Republicans then launched a referendum campaign to refer it to the ballot and give voters the final say.
Republicans hailed the rejection of the gas tax increase after it was trounced by voters. Democrats have remained mostly silent and didn’t organize efforts to campaign for it as the Iran war caused prices at the pump to skyrocket. Some party members said in the run-up to the primary that they expected voters to defeat it.
In the governor’s race, Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan advanced from a field of 14 candidates to win her primary. She beat opponents who included a fellow GOP legislator who helped lead the gas tax referendum campaign and a former NBA player.
Her victory set up a rematch with Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek, who won her party’s primary as she seeks reelection. Drazan lost to Kotek in 2022 by over 3 percentage points in a three-way race that included an independent candidate.
Elected that year to her first term as governor after years in the Legislature, including as Oregon’s longest-serving House speaker, Kotek has sparred with the Trump administration, which sought unsuccessfully to deploy the National Guard to Portland last fall for the stated purpose of protecting federal property and personnel following protests at the city’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building.
Kotek also pledged to tackle homelessness, mental health and education. Despite approving funding and programs aimed at addressing those issues, the state has continued to see rising homelessness and flagging student test scores that have failed to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Drazan will likely try to capitalize on those issues while facing an uphill battle: Oregon hasn’t elected a Republican governor in over 40 years.
Meanwhile, in Oregon’s lone competitive U.S. House district, Democratic incumbent Rep. Janelle Bynum won her primary. Patti Adair, a county commissioner, won the GOP primary there and will work to win back the seat for Republicans. The GOP flipped it in 2022 for the first time in decades before Bynum reclaimed it for Democrats.
Entering the 2026 college football season, the Oregon Ducks are looking to not only win their first national championship in program history but also their second Big Ten title in the last three seasons.
When the Ducks joined the Big Ten in 2024, they kicked off their inaugural season in the conference in style, finishing the regular season undefeated at 13-0. This regular season was concluded with a thrilling 45-37 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Big Ten championship game.
Eug 040522 Lanning 02 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Ohio State Buckeyes, however, got revenge for their loss to the Ducks at Autzen Stadium earlier in the regular season, beating Oregon 41-21 in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl. Entering the 2026 season, here’s a look at the Ducks’ chances of winning the Big Ten for the second time.
Oregon Ducks Big Ten Title Odds: Who’s The Biggest Threat?
According to the latest betting odds by FanDuel Sportsbook, the Ducks have +270 odds to win the Big Ten championship this season. The one team ahead of them is the Ohio State Buckeyes at +190, who, believe it or not, are in search of their first Big Ten title since 2020. The Buckeyes were upset by the Indiana Hoosiers 13-10 in the Big Ten championship last season.
Among the top teams in the Big Ten next season, Ohio State poses the biggest threat to the Ducks’ chances of not only winning a conference title but also the national championship. The Buckeyes and Ducks will face off in what could be the game of the year in Columbus on Nov. 7.
As exciting as this matchup will be for college football fans, it likely won’t be the only one between the Buckeyes and Ducks. Regardless of which team wins the Nov. 7 showdown in Columbus, the Buckeyes and Ducks could match up again in the Big Ten title game and in the CFP.
Other Teams That Pose a Threat to Oregon
While the Buckeyes are the main threat to the Ducks’ Big Ten title aspirations, other teams will be worth watching. One of those teams is the defending national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers.
Despite the key losses this offseason, which include Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, coach Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers restocked talent with the addition of TCU Horned Frogs transfer quarterback Josh Hoover and Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Nick Marsh.
The only two losses that the Ducks suffered last season came against the Hoosiers. If the two face off in the Big Ten championship, Indiana looks to continue its dominance over the Ducks. The Hoosiers and Ducks don’t play each other during the regular season.
The USC Trojans, whom the Ducks will face at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Sept. 26, also look to knock off Oregon in what should be one of the top games of the first month of the college football season. Oregon coach Dan Lanning is undefeated 2-0 against USC’s Lincoln Riley and looks to extend the Ducks’ winning streak against the Trojans to five games.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 14, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 14 drawing
02-04-10-48-56, Mega Ball: 22
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 14 drawing
1PM: 6-3-6-3
4PM: 7-0-0-9
7PM: 2-0-6-0
10PM: 2-5-1-5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
- Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. — Oregon State Police are asking for additional witnesses to come forward after a three-vehicle crash on Highway 20E in Deschutes County left two people seriously injured.
Troopers responded at 12:47 p.m. Friday, July 10, to the crash near milepost 41. A preliminary investigation found a westbound 2013 black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck pulling a single-axle utility trailer attempted to pass a black Dodge 4500 towing a trailer. Police said an eastbound Hyundai Elantra tried to avoid a collision with the Chevrolet, lost control in the gravel on the eastbound shoulder, veered into the westbound lane and collided with the trailer pulled by the Dodge 4500.
The driver and passenger of the Hyundai were flown by air medic to a local hospital with serious injuries.
The crash affected traffic for about five hours. The driver of the Chevrolet was cited for careless driving and unsafe passing.
OSP is asking anyone who may have seen the Chevrolet driving westbound on Highway 20 at the moment of, or prior to, the collision to contact the OSP Northern Command Center dispatch at 800-442-0776 or *OSP (*677) from a mobile phone. Callers should reference case number SP26-255130.
-
Montana1 minute agoGovernor Gianforte Announces Montana Ranks as Top 10 State for Job Growth
-
Nebraska7 minutes agoRoanoke County teen heads to national rodeo finals in Nebraska
-
Nevada13 minutes agoNevada’s modern boomtowns are these fast-growing cities, study said
-
New Hampshire19 minutes agoNH Forests: A Story of Revival and the Challenges Ahead: Business NH Magazine
-
New Jersey25 minutes agoNJ Spine Doctor, Daughter, Granddaughter Killed In Plane Crash, Police Say
-
New Mexico31 minutes agoMcCauley Springs Fire Reaches 100% Containment
-
North Carolina37 minutes agoMassive great white shark spotted off NC coast. See where its headed
-
North Dakota43 minutes agoNeighbors, not competitors
