Tina Kotek

Tina Kotek

Democratic Party

Governor of Oregon

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

1

Predecessor

Kate Brown

Prior offices

Oregon House of Representatives District 44

Successor: Travis Nelson

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Compensation

Base salary

$98,600

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Oregon

Graduate

University of Washington

Personal

Profession

Public policy advocate

Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Personal Facebook

Personal Twitter

Personal LinkedIn

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Tina Kotek (Democratic Party) is the Governor of Oregon. She assumed office on January 9, 2023. Her current term ends on January 11, 2027.

Kotek (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) ran for election for Governor of Oregon. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. She advanced from the Democratic primary on May 17, 2022.

Kotek received a B.S. in religious studies from the University of Oregon and an M.A. in international studies from the University of Washington. Kotek worked as the policy director of Children First for Oregon and a public policy advocate with the Oregon Food Bank.

Kotek ran for the Oregon State House of Representatives in 2004, and first won election to the House in 2006. While in the House, Kotek served as co-speaker pro tempore in 2011, as the House Democratic Leader in 2012, and as House Speaker from 2013-2022, making her the longest serving Oregon Speaker of the House at the time.

While in the House, Kotek focused on legislation affecting housing. Under her speakership, the House passed House Bill 2001, which allowed duplexes in areas zoned for single-family housing in cities with more than 10,000 people. NPR's Laurel Wamsley described Kotek as "the driving force behind Oregon's bill." Kotek said, "We all know we have a housing crisis. We need multiple tools. One of them is to smooth and encourage additional construction." In the House, Kotek also supported legislation that increased funding for public education, guaranteed sick leave and medical leave for employees, and created a three-tiered minimum wage system. Kotek resigned from the House on January 21, 2022, to run for governor.

Kotek won the 2022 gubernatorial election against Christine Drazan (R) 47.0%-43.5%. Four other candidates also ran in the open race. Then incumbent Gov. Kate Brown (D) was term-limited. In her campaign announcement video, Kotek said, "From homelessness to climate change, it's one thing to talk about our problems, it's another thing to make the tough calls and actually get things done. And that's why I'm running for governor."

As governor, Kotek decleared a state of emergency in Oregon due to homelessness and established a goal of building 36,000 new housing unites a year. Kotek called for loosening of the state's land-use policies, increasing the number of police officers in Portland, and signed Senate Bill 4 which directed the Oregon Business Development Department to develop grant and loan programs to support businesses applying for financial assistance under the CHIPS Act. Kotek also called for a three-year tax reduction.

Biography

Tina Kotek lives in North Portland, Oregon. Kotek earned a B.S. in religious studies from the University of Oregon and an M.A. in international studies from the University of Washington. Her career experience includes working as the policy director of Children First for Oregon and a public policy advocate with the Oregon Food Bank.

Committee assignments

2021-2022

Kotek was assigned to the following committees:

• Joint Legislative Counsel Committee, Co-chair
• Joint Legislative Policy and Research Committee, Co-chair
• House Energy and Environment Committee
• Joint Legislative Administration Committee, Co-chair

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2019-2020

Kotek was assigned to the following committees:

• Joint Legislative Counsel Committee, Co-Chair
• Joint Legislative Administration Committee, Co-Chair
• Joint Legislative Policy and Research Committee, Co-Chair

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2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Oregon committee assignments, 2017
• Joint Legislative Administration, Chair
• Joint Legislative Counsel, Chair
• Joint Legislative Policy and Research, Chair

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Kotek served on the following committees:

Oregon committee assignments, 2015
• Joint Legislative Administration, Co-Chair
• Joint Legislative Counsel, Co-Chair

2013-2014

In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Kotek served on the following committees:

Oregon committee assignments, 2013
• Legislative Administration

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Kotek served on these committees:

Oregon committee assignments, 2011
• Human Services, Co-Chair
• Ways and Means
• Joint Health Care Transformation

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Kotek served on these committees:

Oregon committee assignments, 2009
• Emergency Board
• Health Care
• Rules
• Ways and Means

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2022

See also: Oregon gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of Oregon

The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Oregon on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tina Kotek (D / Working Families Party)	47.0	917,074
		Christine Drazan (R)	43.5	850,347
		Betsy Johnson (Independent)	8.6	168,431
		Donice Smith (Constitution Party)	0.4	8,051
		R. Leon Noble (L)	0.4	6,867
		Paul Romero (Constitution Party of Oregon) (Write-in)	0.0	0
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	2,113

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,952,883
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Nathalie Paravicini (Pacific Green Party / Progressive Party)
• Tom Cox (L)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Oregon

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Oregon on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tina Kotek	56.0	275,301
		Tobias Read	31.7	156,017
		Patrick Starnes	2.1	10,524
		George Carrillo	1.9	9,365
		Michael Trimble	1.0	5,000
		John Sweeney	0.9	4,193
		Julian Bell	0.8	3,926
		Wilson Bright	0.5	2,316
		Dave Stauffer	0.5	2,302
		Ifeanyichukwu Diru	0.4	1,780
		Keisha Merchant	0.4	1,755
		Genevieve Wilson	0.3	1,588
		Michael Cross	0.3	1,342
		David Beem	0.3	1,308
		Peter Hall	0.2	982
		Other/Write-in votes	2.8	13,746

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 491,445
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Peter Winter (D)
• Casey Kulla (D)
• Nicholas Kristof (D)
• Dave Lavinsky (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Oregon

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Oregon on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christine Drazan	22.5	85,255
		Bob Tiernan	17.5	66,089
		Stan Pulliam	10.9	41,123
		Bridget Barton	10.8	40,886
		Bud Pierce	8.7	32,965
		Marc Thielman	7.9	30,076
		Kerry McQuisten	7.6	28,727
		Bill Sizemore	3.5	13,261
		Jessica Gomez	2.6	9,970
		Tim McCloud	1.2	4,400
		Nick Hess	1.1	4,287
		Court Boice	1.1	4,040
		Brandon Merritt	1.0	3,615
		Reed Christensen	0.8	3,082
		Amber Richardson	0.5	1,924
		Raymond Baldwin	0.1	459
		David Burch	0.1	406
		John Presco	0.0	174
		Stefan Strek	0.0	171
		Other/Write-in votes	2.0	7,407

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 378,317
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Darin Harbick (R)
• John Fosdick III (R)
• Jim Huggins (R)

2020

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Oregon House of Representatives District 44

Incumbent Tina Kotek defeated Margo Logan in the general election for Oregon House of Representatives District 44 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tina Kotek (D / Working Families Party)	87.2	32,465
		Margo Logan (R)	12.5	4,643
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	127

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 37,235
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 44

Incumbent Tina Kotek advanced from the Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 44 on May 19, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tina Kotek	98.5	12,797
		Other/Write-in votes	1.5	190

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,987
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 44

Margo Logan advanced from the Republican primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 44 on May 19, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Margo Logan	95.9	872
		Other/Write-in votes	4.1	37

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 909
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2018

In addition to running as a Democratic Party candidate, Kotek cross-filed to also run with the Working Families Party in 2018.

General election

General election for Oregon House of Representatives District 44

Incumbent Tina Kotek defeated Manny Guerra in the general election for Oregon House of Representatives District 44 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tina Kotek (D)	89.1	27,194
		Manny Guerra (L)	10.4	3,181
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	155

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 30,530
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 44

Incumbent Tina Kotek advanced from the Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 44 on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tina Kotek	100.0	7,540

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 7,540
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

Obama endorsement
During the 2016 election cycle Kotek was one of the candidates endorsed by President Barack Obama
Full list of Obama's 2016 endorsements

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Oregon House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 17, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 8, 2016.

Incumbent Tina Kotek defeated Joe Rowe in the Oregon House of Representatives District 44 general election.

Oregon House of Representatives, District 44 General Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Tina Kotek Incumbent	80.34%	23,288
	Pacific Green	Joe Rowe	19.66%	5,700
Total Votes				28,988
Source: Oregon Secretary of State

Incumbent Tina Kotek defeated Sharon Nasset in the Oregon House of Representatives District 44 Democratic primary.

Oregon House of Representatives, District 44 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Tina Kotek Incumbent	78.92%	10,607
	Democratic	Sharon Nasset	21.08%	2,834
Total Votes				13,441

2014

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Oregon House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 11, 2014. Incumbent Tina Kotek defeated Joe Rowe in the Democratic primary. Michael Harrington was unopposed in the Republican primary. Kotek also ran on the Working Families Party ticket. Kotek defeated Harrington in the general election.

Oregon House of Representatives District 44, General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Tina Kotek Incumbent	85.5%	19,760
	Republican	Michael H. Harrington	13.6%	3,151
	None	Miscellaneous	0.8%	193
Total Votes				23,104

Oregon House of Representatives, District 44 Democratic Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Tina Kotek Incumbent	83%	4,789
Joe Rowe	17%	978
Total Votes		5,767

2012

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2012

Kotek won re-election in the 2012 election for Oregon House of Representatives District 44. Kotek was unopposed in the May 15 Democratic primary and defeated Michael Harrington (R) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.

Oregon House of Representatives, District 44, General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Tina Kotek Incumbent	86.7%	23,235
	Republican	Michael Harrington	13.3%	3,557
Total Votes				26,792

2010

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2010

Kotek won re-election to District 44 in 2010. She defeated Richard Ellmyer in the March 9 primary elections, receiving 5,419 votes while Ellmyer received 892. Kotek defeated Kitty Harmon in the general election which took place on November 2, 2010.

Oregon State House, District 44
Candidates		Votes
Tina Kotek (D)		16,517
Kitty Harmon (R)		3,812

2008

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2008

On November 4, 2008, Kotek won re-election to Oregon State House District 44. She ran unopposed.

Oregon State House District 44
Candidates		Votes
Tina Kotek (D)		20,044
Misc.		490

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Tina Kotek did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Kotek’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Housing and Homelessness No one should have to live in a tent on a sidewalk. Houselessness is a humanitarian crisis in our own backyards. Everyone has the right to live somewhere in security, peace and dignity. But safe, affordable housing is out of reach for too many Oregonians. This challenge has two parts: the long-term lack of an adequate supply of affordable housing, and the immediate crisis we see on our streets. Tina has responded to both. She is a national leader in addressing housing stability and will continue to bring forward concrete solutions to address Oregon’s housing crisis at the scale needed to solve it – from services for the unhoused to affordable rental housing to increasing homeownership. And, as local communities have struggled with houselessness, Tina brought unprecedented state resources to help. Tina’s Accomplishments: Standing Up for People Who Need Housing Tina championed more than $1.5 billion in targeted investments over the last five years to increase housing access, shelter capacity, rent assistance, and other housing needs. Tina fought to provide more shelter during the pandemic and for Oregonians made houseless by the 2020 Labor Day wildfires by securing $75 million for Project Turnkey, an effort to repurpose motel properties to create more short-term housing. In less than seven months, Project Turnkey created 19 new shelters in 13 counties, resulting in a 20% increase in the state supply of shelter beds by adding 865 new housing units for people in need. Tina challenged the status quo by passing laws to: Protect renters by establishing standardized eviction standards and prohibiting extreme rent increases. Require the state to track affordable housing development and assess housing needs over the next 20 years so we can develop comprehensive plans to beat this crisis. Provide more housing options to Oregon families by eliminating red tape and allowing construction of more housing options like duplexes, triplexes, cottage clusters and townhomes. Streamlined processes to build and regulate emergency shelters and new affordable housing because we don’t have time to waste and shouldn’t let bureaucracy get in the way of serving our communities. Tina’s Priorities for Tackling Oregon’s Housing Crisis End unsheltered homelessness for veterans, families with children, unaccompanied young adults, and people 65 years and older by 2025, and continue to strengthen pathways to permanent housing for all Oregonians experiencing homelessness. Build enough housing to meet the need for people currently experiencing homelessness, address the current shortage of housing, and keep pace with future housing demand by 2033. Advance racial equity by reducing the racial homeownership gap by 20 percent by 2027. Keep people housed who are currently on the brink of homelessness. Encourage intergovernmental and private sector partnerships to have more effective and efficient responses to solving this crisis. Climate and the Environment Oregonians treasure the clean air, clean water, and natural beauty of our state, and it is our responsibility to preserve it. It is also our responsibility to do what we can to combat climate change, which is a real and present danger that Oregonians are already experiencing firsthand. Oregon’s economy and the health of our communities require ongoing bold action to match the scale of this crisis. While Tina understands that Oregon alone cannot solve the climate crisis, she is committed to making sure Oregonians do our part. Tina’s Track Record: Standing Up for a Climate-Friendly Future Tina put Oregon on a path to 100% clean electricity by 2040, including a $50 million investment to jumpstart wind, solar and other community renewable energy projects that will create jobs in Oregon. Tina passed legislation to transition Oregon completely off dirty coal-fired power by 2030, the first law of its kind in the country. Tina defended Oregon’s Clean Fuels Program against attacks from Big Oil. This successful program reduces toxic air pollution from cars and trucks that will result in a 25% carbon intensity decrease by 2035. Tina challenged the status quo by passing laws to: Ban offshore drilling. Enact a statewide moratorium on hydraulic fracturing. Ensure access to clean air and water by passing an Oregon Environmental Protection Act, standing up to the Trump Administration’s destructive rollbacks. Held polluters accountable by allowing state regulators to refuse permits to chronic violators of environmental regulations. Tina’s Priorities for Addressing Climate Change and Protecting Our Natural Environment Protect the progress we have made. Decrease pollution from transportation by increasing the use of zero-emission vehicles and increasing investments to make public transit the convenient and accessible choice for more Oregonians. Transition away from the use of fossil fuels like methane gas in homes and commercial buildings. Increase climate resiliency for communities on the frontline of extreme weather events, including protecting people who have to work outside and supporting community-level technical assistance for small family farms and ranches. Mental Health and Recovery When someone is ready to seek help for a mental health concern or substance use, that help should be easy to find and available – no matter where you live or what you can afford. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need for a stronger, more accessible system of mental health care and substance use treatment. In fact, the pandemic made things even more difficult for individuals already receiving care or in recovery. Additionally, the ongoing strain of low pay and high workload for frontline health care workers has created a crisis in the behavioral health workforce. Tina’s Accomplishments: Standing Up for More Access to Care Tina championed the effort to invest nearly $500 million to expand access to mental health care and strengthen capacity in Oregon’s behavioral health system statewide, working to ensure that all Oregonians can access the care they need. Tina allocated $25 million in emergency funds to improve behavioral health services in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on communities of color, our federally recognized tribes, and other vulnerable Oregonians. Tina fought for an early distribution of dollars for new treatment services while the implementation of voter-approved Measure 110 was getting started. Tina challenged the status quo by passing laws to: Expand access to social and emotional supports for students in our schools (Student Success Act). Hold insurance companies accountable by requiring them to pay mental health providers fairly and provide adequate coverage to serve those in need. Expand access to telehealth services during and after the pandemic. Tina’s Priorities for Improving Oregon’s Behavioral Health System Expand inpatient and outpatient services for Oregonians experiencing a mental health and/or substance use crisis. Help people who are experiencing houselessness and suffering from a mental health or substance use disorder by expanding the availability of trained outreach professionals and increasing housing with supports to keep people stable and on a path to long-term recovery. Eliminate the red tape in government and insurance bureaucracies that prevent Oregonians from accessing treatment. Invest in a diverse behavioral health workforce by increasing compensation, lowering workloads, and simplifying career pathways and promoting professional development opportunities for Oregonians. Ensure access to services that promote social and emotional wellness, especially for our children and youth who have been particularly traumatized during the pandemic. Economic Opportunity Oregon thrives when Oregonians have financial stability and pathways to increased economic opportunity. The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that many of our neighbors are just a paycheck away from financial disaster and houselessness. Tina began her public service at the Oregon Food Bank, advocating for ways to help people feed their families. She knows that more family-wage jobs are the key to reducing poverty and lifting up all communities across the state. Tina also believes in the right to organize and has fought to protect workers’ access to collective power. Tina’s Accomplishments: Standing Up for Working Families Tina led the charge to pass some of the nation’s strongest protections and advancements for workers, including raising the minimum wage for tens of thousands of Oregonians, ensuring that Oregon’s equal pay law is fully realized for all workers, guaranteeing earned sick leave for all workers, and clinching the deal to set up a strong paid family and medical leave insurance program that will allow workers to stay home to bond with a new child or care for a sick loved one. Tina protected frontline workers from retaliation for reporting unsafe working conditions during the pandemic and championed a bipartisan solution to protect small businesses from tax hikes due to pandemic layoffs. Tina prioritized emergency dollars to ensure an equitable response to the pandemic by investing in raising wages for workers in long-term care facilities, supporting BIPOC individuals, organizations and businesses that did not have access to financial safety nets, and protecting certain sectors that could not get government relief assistance during the pandemic. Tina challenged the status quo by passing laws to: Require prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements on large public infrastructure projects to support living wage jobs. Protect domestic workers by ensuring access to overtime pay and freedom from harassment and discrimination. Increase access to justice for workplace harassment by extending the statute of limitations to give workers more time to take legal action. Tina’s Priorities for Increasing Economic Opportunity Support the professional development of all Oregon workers by improving access to training and education through community colleges and grow state-certified pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs. Leverage the state’s purchasing power to invest in workforce and apprenticeship opportunities for women, veterans and historically disadvantaged communities, ensuring that state project dollars fund local, family-wage jobs in all corners of the state. Ensure a successful roll-out of Oregon’s paid family and medical leave program, holding state agencies accountable to ensure families can access this critical benefit. Hold companies accountable for stealing wages for workers, increase enforcement on bad employers, and ensure justice for victims of discrimination in the workplace. Create a joint strategy with the federal government to hold companies accountable who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to cheat Oregonians. Collaborate with local governments and business leaders to close the technology divide, ensuring every Oregonian has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. Education and Childcare Every Oregon child and youth should have a safe place to receive a high-quality public education, and every working family needs access to affordable child care options. Before being elected, Tina advocated for children in Salem as the policy director for Children First for Oregon. She knows the importance of strong systems that support working families and make sure children have what they need to succeed and graduate from high school. Tina’s Accomplishments: Standing Up for Our Children Tina negotiated Oregon’s historic Student Success Act, providing $1 billion more every year in new funding for preK-12 education. Tina secured $250 million to support summer learning and child care opportunities to help students and families recover from the educational and emotional losses from the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tina championed equitable outcomes in education, including the creation of the Black Student Success Plan, funding for community-led initiatives to increase early childhood and kindergarten readiness, and reducing suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings that have disproportionately impacted children in Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities. Tina challenged the status quo by passing laws to: Invest millions in Oregon’s schools to fix outdated and hazardous facilities. Make community college free to Oregon’s high school students. Expand access to scholarships and financial aid for Oregon’s Dreamers. Tina’s Priorities for Improving Educational Outcomes Improve Oregon’s graduation rates to 90% for all student groups by 2027. Reduce the time dedicated to standardized testing and focus on real-time assessments to monitor student learning. Restore child care capacity that was lost during the pandemic, maximize federal dollars to expand access to pre-K for Oregon families, and improve access to infant and toddler care by cutting the red tape that limits where home-based child care providers can operate. Increase educational achievement for rural youth and youth of color by expanding investments in community-led initiatives. Accelerate career and technical education program growth in economically disadvantaged areas of the state. Racial Justice Systemic racism and inequities are woven into the fabric of our society, directly impacting our communities of color and undermining our shared efforts to create a state where everyone can truly thrive. As House Speaker, Tina listened to and worked with communities of color to promote solutions to injustice. As Governor, Tina will continue to address the legacy of systemic racism and inequality in Oregon by prioritizing racial justice in all policy areas. Tina’s Accomplishments: Standing Up for BIPOC Communities Tina fought for emergency funding to create the Oregon Cares Fund, providing cash grants to Black-owned businesses, Black-led non-profit organizations and Black professionals who experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19. Tina fought for emergency funding to create the Oregon Worker Relief Fund, making sure all Oregon workers had access to financial assistance when businesses had to close during the pandemic. Tina championed responsible justice system reforms to reduce racial profiling, improve training and accountability of public safety officers, and invest in communities of color to improve community safety. Tina challenged the status quo by passing laws to: Reduce health care disparities and improve transparency in reporting health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Diversify Oregon’s educator workforce by establishing non-traditional pathways to licensure for professionals with cultural, linguistic or socioeconomic diverse backgrounds. Establish benefits navigators at Oregon’s public universities and community colleges to help students access financial aid, food and housing assistance. Tina’s Priorities for Addressing Racism and Empowering BIPOC Communities Transform training for police and security officers to meet international standards on safety and justice. Invest in our community-based organizations that are on the ground, doing the work in our diverse communities – from education to public health to community safety transformation. Build a workforce development pipeline for underserved communities, ensuring that state investments are directed upstream at BIPOC communities who have long faced disinvestment. Guarantee that economic development initiatives serve all Oregonians equitably. Community Violence Prevention All of us want to feel safe in our homes and in our communities. While Oregon has made progress in keeping guns out of the hands of people who should not have them, the recent increase in gun violence makes it clear that there is much more urgent work to be done. Tina believes that we need to continue to do the hard work to make our communities safer from senseless gun violence. Tina’s Accomplishments: Standing Up for Gun Safety Tina led the way on groundbreaking gun safety legislation to reduce the risk of accidental shooting deaths and suicide by requiring guns to be stored safely and securely. Tina made schools safer by allowing universities, community colleges and school districts to prohibit concealed carry of firearms on campuses. Tina fought for changes to prevent stalkers and domestic abusers from possessing guns or ammunition. Tina led the initiative to seek federal reimbursement for evidence-based violence prevention programs that will reduce violent retaliation in our communities. Tina challenged the status quo by passing laws to: Close loopholes in state law to require private firearm sellers to conduct criminal and mental health checks for nearly all private or unlicensed gun sales and transfers, including at a gun show. Create an Extreme Risk Protection Order that allows a judge to remove guns from people who may harm themselves or others. Tina’s Priorities for Creating Safer Communities Require a completed background check before any firearm purchase. Increase the age to purchase semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 because these are weapons of war that should not be sold to teenagers. Collaborate with the Oregon Attorney General and state law enforcement to stop the ghost gun black market. Invest in local government efforts to expand the availability of trained specialists who respond when individuals are suffering from a mental health crisis. Prevent acts of hate from turning deadly by banning individuals with hate crime convictions from owning guns. Health Care and Public Health The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the importance of quality, affordable health care and the necessity of a strong public health response system. Tina believes that all Oregonians deserve justice in health care – that means equitable access so that everyone, regardless of their race, income or zip code, has access to the care that they need. Tina’s Accomplishments: Standing Up for Access to Health Care Tina closed gaps in access to health care by expanding Medicaid insurance coverage (the Oregon Health Plan) to roughly 100,000 adult Oregonians. Tina protected health care for Oregon’s most vulnerable individuals and families, including 400,000 children. Tina led the charge to ensure equitable access to reproductive health care – including cancer screenings, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, and abortion care – for all Oregonians regardless of income, immigration status, or gender identity. Tina challenged the status quo by passing laws to: Lower the cost of insulin for Oregonians living with diabetes. Increase the transparency of prescription drug prices. Improve the reporting of health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Reduce the likelihood of medical debt by requiring hospitals to establish financial assistance policies for low-income Oregonians. Tina’s Priorities for Health Care Access and Public Health Protect Oregon’s progress in reducing the number of uninsured Oregonians. Maintain and increase access to care in rural communities and in underserved communities in more populated areas. Strengthen Oregon’s public health system in response to lessons learned during the pandemic, including making sure we have strong reserves of personal protective equipment and other emergency supplies. Invest in a diverse health care workforce by increasing compensation for frontline workers, encouraging cultural and linguistic competency, and simplifying career pathways and promoting professional development opportunities. Continue to move health care dollars upstream for prevention by investing in the social determinants of health and leveraging federal dollars where available. Women’s Rights and Reproductive Freedom Society is more fair and just when women have equal rights and protections, including the right to make health care choices about their bodies. Tina is a leader with a proven record of standing up for women’s rights and protections. Tina’s Accomplishments: Standing Up for Women’s Rights and Reproductive Freedom Tina led the way to pass Oregon’s Reproductive Health Equity Act, the nation’s strongest law to protect and advance reproductive justice, ensuring equitable and affordable access to reproductive health care for all and putting the right to an abortion in state law. Tina expanded access to a 12-month supply of birth control, making it easier for Oregonians to have full control over their reproductive future. Tina protected patients from healthcare discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Tina held law enforcement agencies accountable by requiring them to process Oregon’s backlog of rape kits and helping survivors to get justice. Tina challenged the status quo by passing laws to: Protect survivors of campus sexual assault from retaliation and discrimination. Extend Oregon’s statute of limitations for sexual assault, giving survivors more time to come forward and get justice. Strengthen Oregon’s equal pay law and close loopholes to protect women from discrimination in the workplace. Tina’s Priorities for Advancing Women’s Rights and Defending Reproductive Freedom Ensure that Oregon is a safe harbor for anyone seeking access to reproductive health care – because your zip code should never determine whether you can get the health care you need. Address the systemic inequities within our health care system that lead to disproportionate rates of maternal and infant mortality among women of color, including investing in community-based programs and provider interventions that work (e.g., doulas). Invest in comprehensive, medically-accurate sex education so that our schools are providing students with the resources to live healthy lives.	”
—Tina Kotek’s campaign website (2022)

2020

Tina Kotek did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2016

Kotek's website highlighted the following campaign themes:

Fighting for Working Families

• Excerpt: "I will continue to focus my efforts on helping the middle class and creating economic opportunity for all."

Supporting Job Creation

• Excerpt: "Our state’s economic vitality and the livability of our communities depend on the success of small business."

Building Healthy Communities

• Excerpt: "The state’s ability to thrive depends on the health and wellness of all Oregonians."

Protecting Our Neighborhoods

• Excerpt: "Keeping Oregon a safe place to live and work is paramount to our state’s long-term prosperity."

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.

Notable candidate endorsements by Tina Kotek

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Kamala D. Harris  source  (D, Working Families Party)	President of the United States (2024)	Primary	Lost General
Janelle Bynum  source  (D)	U.S. House Oregon District 5 (2024)	Primary	Won General
Elizabeth Warren  source	President of the United States (2020)	Primary	Withdrew in Convention

Notable ballot measure endorsements by Tina Kotek

Measure	Position	Outcome
Oregon Measure 118, Corporate Tax Revenue Rebate for Residents Initiative (2024)  source	Oppose	Defeated

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Tina Kotek campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2022	Governor of Oregon	Won general	$30,342,252	$24,961,621
2020	Oregon House of Representatives District 44	Won general	$535,409	N/A**
2018	Oregon House of Representatives District 44	Won general	$598,827	N/A**
2016	Oregon House of Representatives, District 44	Won	$586,717	N/A**
2014	Oregon House of Representatives, District 44	Won	$633,640	N/A**
2012	Oregon State House, District 44	Won	$575,780	N/A**
2010	Oregon State House, District 44	Won	$115,014	N/A**
2008	Oregon State House, District 44	Won	$64,687	N/A**
2006	Oregon State House, District 44	Won	$100,001	N/A**
2004	Oregon State House, District 43	Lost	$55,694	N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Oregon

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Oregon scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].

2022

In 2022, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from February 1 to March 4.

• Humane Oregon: Senate and House

Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues.

• National Federation of Independent Business

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

• Oregon AFSCME

Legislators are scored on their votes on labor issues.

• Oregon League of Conservation Voters: Senate and House

Legislators are scored on their votes related to the environment.

• Oregon State Chamber of Commerce

Legislators are scored on their stances related to taxes, economic development, housing, environmental regulations, and business.

2021

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show].

In 2021, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from January 21 to June 26. Humane Oregon: Senate and House Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. Oregon League of Conservation Voters Legislators are scored on their votes related to the environment. Oregon State Chamber of Commerce Legislators are scored on their stances related to taxes, economic development, housing, environmental regulations, and business. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2020

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show].

In 2020, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from February 3 to March 5. Special sessions were convened from June 24 to June 26 and on August 10. Humane Oregon: Senate and House Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. Stand for Children Oregon Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2019

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show].

In 2019, the Oregon State Legislature was in session from January 22 through June 30. Humane Oregon House and Senate Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. Oregon League of Conservation Voters Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to conservation. Oregon State Public Interest Research Group Legislators are scored on their votes related to issues important to the organization. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2018

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show].

In 2018, the 79th Oregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 5 through March 3. There was also a one-day special session on May 21, 2018. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues. Oregon State Chamber of Commerce Legislators are scored on their votes on bills affecting local businesses. Oregon State Public Interest Research Group Legislators are scored on their votes related to issues important to the organization. SEIU 503 Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the union's priorities. Stand for Children Oregon Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2017

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show].

In 2017, the 79th Oregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 1 through July 7. There was also an organizational session January 9. American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to civil liberties. Humane Oregon Senate and House Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. Oregon League of Conservation Voters Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to conservation. Oregon State Chamber of Commerce Legislators are scored based on their votes on House and Senate bills. Oregon State Public Interest Research Group Legislators are scored based on their support of issues important to the organization. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2016

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show].

In 2016, the 78th Oregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 1 through March 3. Humane Oregon: Senate and House Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. Oregon Farm Bureau: Senate and House Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family farmers and ranchers. Oregon League of Conservation Voters: 2015-2016 legislative scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to conservation. Oregon State Chamber of Commerce: 2015-2016 voting record Legislators are scored based on their votes on 10 House bills and six Senate bills. National Federation of Independent Business in Oregon: 2016 voting record Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues. Stand for Children-Oregon: 2015-2016 legislative scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2015

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show].

In 2015, the 78th Oregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 2 through July 6. American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon: 2015 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to civil liberties. Associated Oregon Industries: 2015 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to the business community. Humane Oregon: 2015 legislative scorecard Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. Marten Law Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental and energy issues. Oregon Education Association: 2015 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. Oregon League of Conservation Voters: 2015-2016 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to conservation. Oregon State Chamber of Commerce: 2015-2016 voting record Legislators are scored based on their votes on 10 House bills and six Senate bills. Stand for Children-Oregon: 2015-2016 legislative scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2014

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show].
In 2014, the 77th Oregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 3 to March 10. Oregon Farm Bureau: 2014 State Legislative Summary Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family farmers and ranchers.

2013

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show].

In 2013, the 77th Oregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 4 to July 9. American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon: 2013 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to civil liberties. American Federation of Teachers-Oregon: 2013 Scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization. Associated Oregon Industries: 2013 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to the business community. Oregon Education Association: 2013 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. Oregon Farm Bureau: Senate and House Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family farmers and ranchers. Oregon League of Conservation Voters: 2013 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to conservation. Stand for Children-Oregon: 2013 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.

2012

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show].
In 2012, the 76th Oregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 1 to March 6. American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon: 2011-2012 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to civil liberties.

2011

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show].

In 2011, the 76th Oregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 1 to June 30. American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon: 2011-2012 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to civil liberties. Oregon Humane Society: 2011 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. Oregon League of Conservation Voters: 2011 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to conservation. Stand for Children-Oregon: 2011 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.

Noteworthy events

Kotek calls on governor to resign

On February 12, 2015, during her term in the Oregon House of Representatives, Kotek, Senate President Peter Courtney (D) and State Treasurer Ted Wheeler (D) called on Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) to resign over concerns of ethics violations in his administration. Kitzhaber announced his resignation from office on February 13, 2015, effective on February 18. To learn more about this story, click here.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
As of this writing, Kotek's partner was Aimee.

See also

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Kate Brown (D)	Governor of Oregon 2023-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Oregon House of Representatives District 44 2007-2022	Succeeded by Travis Nelson (D)