Kristof raises more than $1 million for OR gubernatorial run

SALEM, Ore. — Former New York Times columnist Nick Kristof has outpaced his main Democratic rivals in fundraising in the 2022 Oregon governor’s race.

Kristof, who announced his candidacy in late October, has raised more than $1 million in less than a month. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the list of contributions his campaign filed with the secretary of state includes donors from around the country, with more than half of 408 individual entries listing contributors from outside of Oregon.

Kristof’s campaign said it was receiving many donations from small donors who have given less than $100. Such contributions are reported in lump sums, rather than individually. According to the campaign, 2,522 Oregonians in every county except Sherman County have contributed.

The Kristof campaign also reported a $50,000 contribution from philanthropist Melinda French Gates and $10,000 from the Angelina Jolie Family Trust. Kristof also received $5,000 from former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

In total, Kristof reported $1,010,999 raised since Oct. 15. That’s more than has been raised by his two most-prominent rivals for the Democratic nomination.

As of Monday afternoon, House Speaker Tina Kotek, who announced her campaign Sept. 1, had reported raising $414,103 since January. State Treasurer Tobias Read, who began his campaign in late September, has raised $485,886 this year.

On the Republican side, Salem oncologist Bud Pierce, who has contributed more than $300,000 of his own money to his campaign, has reported nearly $750,000 in contributions this year. Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam has reported more than half a million in contributions.

State Sen. Betsy Johnson, a Democrat who is leaving the party to run for governor as an independent next year, has said she will not begin campaigning in earnest until early 2022. Independently wealthy, Johnson is expected to attract millions of dollars to support her candidacy, but has reported little fundraising to date.