Kitzhaber, a Democrat, came from behind to defeat Republican Chris Dudley, a former center with the Portland TrailBlazers. He did it with late votes from populous Multnomah (Portland) and Lane (Eugene) Counties.
The Kitzhaber victory extends 24 years of Democrats' control of the governor's office in Salem. They have elected four different people to the office. Kitzhaber will be returning to a job he held from 1994 to 2002.
Kitzhaber is a native of Colfax, Wash.. He was an emergency room physician in
Roseburg, Ore., before entering politics, and has more recently held a post at the Oregon Health Sciences University.
Kitzhaber is a supporter of several high profile (and controversial) Oregon initiatives, from the state's death-with-dignity law to the Beaver State's comprehensive land use planning law.
He was also an outspoken backer of the Stateline Wind Energy Farm, a forest of wind turbines that sit atop hills along the Washington-Oregon border above the Snake River south of Pasco.
Kitzhaber has, at times, been a less-than-obedient Democrat.
He backed Bill Bradley over Al Gore for the 2000 Democratic presidential nomination. Gore returned the favor this year by appearing at a fundraiser for Kitzhaber's Democratic primary opponent.
Kitzhaber Oregon Governor
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