The election matched incumbent Republican Jay Bowerman against Democratic challenger Oswald West.

[1] After the resignations of George Chamberlain (to take up a Senate seat) and Frank W. Benson (due to illness), then President of the Oregon Senate Jay Bowerman took up the role as Governor for the remainder of the term.

Bowerman sought election as governor in his own right on a platform advocating modernization of highways, economies in government administration, and tight control of state land management.

[2] Oswald West, a former agent of State Land Board and then member of the Oregon Railroad Commission, won the Democratic primary on the back of his good reputation on both offices.

As an agent of the Railroad Commission, he was popular and had enough public clout to win his party's nomination.