SALEM, Ore., Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Democrat John Kitzhaber has won the Oregon gubernatorial race over Republican Chris Dudley, The (Portland) Oregonian projected Wednesday.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Dudley held a slim lead over Kitzhaber but the newspaper -- citing mathematical calculations based on voting trends through Oregon -- projected Kitzhaber will win with 49 percent of the vote to 48 percent for Dudley.
Neither campaign was immediately available immediately for comment on the report, the newspaper said.
The Oregonian noted there would be an automatic recount if the margin ends up within 0.2 percent of the total votes cast, or about 3,000 votes, but it appears likely the spread will be greater than that. If the margin is greater, either candidate could request a recount but would have to pay for it.
The current governor of Oregon is Ted Kulongoski, a two-term Democrat.
