Gov. Kate Brown has accepted a $250,000 campaign donation from the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety, according to state records.
The organization is funded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who personally cut a campaign check for $250,000 to Brown two years ago when she was running for election.
Oregonians are seeing the results of the money, as Brown and her Republican challenger Rep. Knute Buehler's campaign ads blanket social media, radio and television. Brown's campaign just reported spending more than $483,000 on television and radio ads.
Brown received the contribution from Everytown for Gun Safety on Sept. 18.
It's another example of money flowing into Oregon's governor's race from both liberal and conservative donors outside Oregon. Brown received $500,000 earlier this year from the group EMILY's List, which backs Democratic women candidates who support abortion rights.
Wealthy individuals outside of Oregon have also gotten involved. Barbara Lee, who describes herself in a state filing as a philanthropic activist from Cambridge, Massachusetts, has given Brown $125,000 so far this year with the latest $50,000 installment on Sept. 20.
Buehler, a Bend surgeon and lawmaker, recently received $750,000 from the Republican Governors Association. Nike co-founder Phil Knight also recently gave Buehler $1 million, bringing the total he spent on the Republican's campaign to $1.5 million. Nike is supporting Brown, although the company has so far given her significantly less money.
The governor has raised and spent far more than Buehler, according to state campaign finance records.
Brown has reported raising more than $10 million and spending $7.5 million from 2017 to present, according to state campaign finance records.
Buehler has reported raising $7.2 million and spending $5.9 million since 2017.
The wave of campaign cash is likely to grow quickly over the next week, as Oregon approaches early October deadlines to disclose fundraising and spending.
-- Hillary Borrud
503-294-4034; @hborrud