PORTLAND, OR (KPTV/AP) -
Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown and Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian held onto their jobs Tuesday.
FOX 12 political analyst Tim Hibbitts projected them both as winners in their respective races, holding off a late surge from their Republican competitors.
Brown was the projected winner with 57 percent of the vote by 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. Her opponent, Knute Buehler, had tried to portray Brown as inept and uninspiring during her first term as secretary of state.
Brown emphasized the work of her auditing division during the campaign, which has identified millions in potential savings for state government.
That contest, along with the battle to be Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries commissioner, were expected to be among the most hotly contested state races of this election.
Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian is the projected winner, according to Hibbitts, with 57 percent of the votes by 9:30 p.m.
He earned the nod for a second term over Republican state Sen. Bruce Starr.
Oregon State Treasurer Ted Wheeler was also re-elected Tuesday, along with Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.
Copyright 2012 KPTV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
