Tina Kotek

Why they say you should vote for them

The candidate's own case to voters, summarized from their campaign and public statements.

• Says she is running to "protect Oregon" and that her first term tackled the cost of living, homelessness and schools.[2]
• Points to her record raising the minimum wage, passing paid family leave and expanding health insurance coverage.[1]
• Says she stood up to the Trump administration by blocking a National Guard deployment to Portland and restoring food assistance during the federal shutdown.[1],[6]
• Says she is cutting red tape to build more homes and has increased shelter and treatment beds to reduce homelessness.[1]
• Says she will keep working for more classroom learning time, better reading instruction and a path to universal preschool.[1],[3]

Background

• Governor, State of Oregon · 2023–present[4],[5]
• Speaker of the House, Oregon House of Representatives · 2013–2022[4],[5]
• State Representative, District 44, Oregon House of Representatives · 2007–2022[4]
• Policy Director, Children First for Oregon[4],[5]
• Public policy advocate, Oregon Food Bank[4],[5]

Education

• Master's degree, International Studies and Comparative Religion, University of Washington[4],[1]
• B.S., Religious Studies (1990), University of Oregon[4],[1]

Where they stand

• Housing
  Supports speeding up construction approvals and expanding starter homes, rental options and down payment help for first-time buyers.[3]
• Health Care
  Says she will defend the Oregon Health Plan from federal Medicaid cuts, fight insurance rate increases and strengthen mental health and addiction care.[3]
• Education
  Supports raising instructional time to the national average, stronger graduation requirements, high-dosage tutoring and limits on social media on school-issued devices.[3]
• Energy & Environment
  Supports prohibiting new data center development until statewide standards exist and requiring clean energy for new data centers; signed a law to keep data center energy costs off household utility bills.[3],[1]
• Immigration
  Opposes ICE detention facilities in Oregon and the use of license plate readers and cameras for immigration enforcement.[3]
• Abortion
  Supports protecting access to abortion, birth control and gender-affirming care from federal restrictions, and ensuring Planned Parenthood can continue providing care in Oregon.[3]
• Economy & Jobs
  Proposes a new state Department of Commerce and enforceable statewide permitting timelines.[3]
• Infrastructure
  Signed the 2025 transportation funding law (HB 3991), which raised the gas tax, vehicle fees and the transit payroll tax. After opponents referred those increases to the ballot, she asked the Legislature in January 2026 to repeal the law and start over; voters rejected the increases as Measure 120 in May 2026.[4],[14],[7]

Voting record

A selection of notable recorded votes. Not a complete record.

In their words