Tina Kotek

Christine Kotek (born September 30, 1966) is an American politician serving as the 39th governor of Oregon since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Kotek served eight terms as the state representative from the 44th district of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2007 to 2022, as majority leader of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013, and as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives from 2013 to 2022. She won the 2022 Oregon gubernatorial election, defeating Republican nominee Christine Drazan and independent candidate Betsy Johnson.[1][2]

Tina Kotek
39th Governor of Oregon
Assumed office
January 9, 2023
Preceded byKate Brown
67th Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
In office
January 14, 2013 – January 16, 2022
Preceded by
Succeeded byPaul Holvey (Acting)
Majority Leader of the Oregon House of Representatives
In office
June 30, 2011 – January 14, 2013
Serving with Kevin Cameron
Preceded byDave Hunt
Succeeded byVal Hoyle
Speaker pro tempore of the Oregon House of Representatives
In office
January 10, 2011 – June 30, 2011
Serving with Andy Olson
Preceded byArnie Roblan
Succeeded byPeter J. Buckley
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
from the 44th district
In office
January 8, 2007 – January 21, 2022
Preceded byGary Hansen
Succeeded byTravis Nelson
Personal details
Born
Christine Kotek

(1966-09-30) September 30, 1966
York, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Aimee Wilson
​
(m. 2017)​
Education
Signature

As an openly lesbian woman, Kotek has made history several times through her electoral success. She became the first openly lesbian woman elected speaker of a U.S. state house in 2013, and was the longest-serving Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.[3] In 2022, she became one of the first two openly lesbian women (alongside Maura Healey) and the third openly LGBT person (alongside Healey and after Kate Brown and Jared Polis) elected governor of a U.S. state, as well as the third woman elected governor of Oregon (after Barbara Roberts and Kate Brown).[4]

Early life and education

Kotek was born on September 30, 1966, in York, Pennsylvania, to Jerry Albert Kotek[5] and Florence (née Matich).[6][7][8] Her father was of Czech ancestry and her mother's parents were Slovenes.[9] Her grandfather František Kotek[10] was a baker from Týnec nad Labem.[11][12][13]

Kotek graduated second in her class from Dallastown Area High School.[14] She attended Georgetown University, but left without graduating.[14] She then worked in commercial diving and as a travel agent.[14]

In 1987, Kotek moved to Oregon. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in religious studies from the University of Oregon in 1990.[15][16][17][18] She then studied at the University of Washington, earning a master's degree in international studies and comparative religion.[14]

Career

Before being elected to office, Kotek worked as a public policy advocate for the Oregon Food Bank and then as policy director of Children First for Oregon.[19] She co-chaired the Human Services Coalition of Oregon during the 2002 budget crisis and co-chaired the Governor's Medicaid Advisory Committee.

Elections

In 2004, Kotek lost the Democratic primary for Oregon House District 43. In 2006, she won a three-way Democratic primary for Oregon House District 44, which includes North and Northeast Portland. In the general election, she defeated her Republican opponent with nearly 80% of the vote.

Kotek ran unopposed for reelection in 2008.[20] In 2010, she faced a Democratic primary challenge but won over 85% of the vote.[21] Kotek won the 2010 general election with almost 81% of the vote.[22] She was reelected every two years through 2020.[23]

Kotek with Portland Mayor Sam Adams and fellow State Representative Lew Frederick posing for a photo at a Sunday Parkways event in Portland

Pre-speakership House career

Kotek rose in the House leadership, serving as the Democratic whip in the 2009 legislative session. In the 2011 session, she was co-speaker pro tempore with Republican Andy Olson due to the House's 30–30 partisan split.

In June 2011, the House Democratic Caucus chose Kotek as its leader (succeeding Dave Hunt).[24]

Speakership
Speaker Kotek with then State Representative Cliff Bentz, looking on as Governor John Kitzhaber signs HB2800, authorizing funding for the Columbia River Crossing

After Democrats won a House majority in the 2012 election, they nominated Kotek for speaker of the House for the 2013 legislative session.[25] She was elected to the position, becoming the first out lesbian in the nation to serve as a legislative speaker.[26][27] She was reelected for in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021.[28][29] She is Oregon's longest-serving speaker of the House.[30]

In December 2016, Kotek became the chair of the board of directors of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.[31] She left the post in July 2019.[32]

In 2020, Republicans worked with Democrats to redraw the districts following the 2020 U.S. census with equal representation from the Democratic and Republican parties as a compromise to have the Republicans stop the use of quorum rule restrictions to stall legislation.[33][34] Kotek later reversed her decision and restored the Democratic majority on the committee redrawing the congressional districts.[35][36]

In January 2022, Kotek announced her resignation from the House to focus on her campaign.[37] She was succeeded as speaker by Dan Rayfield[38] and in the 44th district by Travis Nelson.[39]

Governor of Oregon
Kotek and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici at a 2023 Memorial Day ceremony in Beaverton

2022 gubernatorial campaign

On September 1, 2021, Kotek declared her candidacy in the 2022 Oregon gubernatorial election.[40] Her main opponent in the Democratic primary was State Treasurer Tobias Read. She won the Democratic primary on May 17, 2022.[41]

In the general election, Kotek's main opponents were Republican nominee and former state representative Christine Drazan and unaffiliated candidate and former state senator Betsy Johnson.[42] The election was on November 8. On November 9, The Oregonian, Willamette Week, and Oregon Public Broadcasting had declared Kotek the winner of the race with 73% of ballots counted.[43][44]

Tenure

Kotek was sworn in on January 9, 2023.[45] On her first day in office, she declared a state of emergency due to homelessness.[46]

Personal life

Kotek and her wife, Aimee Wilson, met in 2005 and married in a private ceremony in 2017.[47] They have lived together in Portland's Kenton neighborhood since 2005.[14][48] Kotek was one of the Oregon Legislative Assembly's few openly LGBTQ+ members and the first lesbian speaker of a state house.[49]

Kotek considers herself a lapsed Catholic and attends an Episcopal church.[14]

Electoral history

Governor of Oregon
Main article: 2022 Oregon gubernatorial election
Oregon Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election, 2022[50]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tina Kotek 275,301 57.6%
Democratic Tobias Read 156,017 32.6%
Democratic Patrick Starnes 10,524 2.2%
Democratic George Carrillo 9,365 1.9%
Democratic Michael Trimble 5,000 1.0%
Democratic John Sweeney 4,193 0.9%
Democratic Julian Bell 3,926 0.8%
Democratic Dave Stauffer 2,302 0.5%
Democratic Wilson Bright 2,316 0.5%
Democratic Ifeanyichukwu Diru 1,780 0.4%
Democratic Keisha Marchant 1,755 0.4%
Democratic Genevieve Wilson 1,588 0.3%
Democratic Michael Cross 1,342 0.3%
Democratic David Beem 1,308 0.3%
Democratic Peter Hall 982 0.2%
Total votes 491,445 100%
2022 Oregon gubernatorial election[51]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tina Kotek 916,635 46.9%
Republican Christine Drazan 849,853 43.5%
Independent Betsy Johnson 168,363 8.6%
Constitution Donice Noelle Smith 8,047 0.4%
Libertarian R. Leon Noble 6,862 0.3%
Write-Ins 2,113 0.1%
Total votes 1,951,873 100%
Democratic hold

See also

References
  1. "Oregon Governor Election Results". The New York Times. November 8, 2022. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  2. "Tackling homelessness top goal for Oregon Democrat Kotek". AP NEWS. November 10, 2022. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  3. Monahan, Rachel; Jaquiss, Nigel (October 20, 2021). "Tina Kotek, the Longest-Serving House Speaker in Oregon History, Makes Her Case for the State's Top Job". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  4. Epstein, Reid J. (November 11, 2022). "Tina Kotek, a Progressive, Will Be Oregon's Next Governor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  5. "Statement of Organization for Candidate Committee". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022.
  6. "Obituary for Jerry A. Kotek". The York Dispatch. York, Pennsylvania. November 2, 2011. p. 24. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022. Jerry is survived by... a daughter Tina Kotek and her partner Aimee Wilson of Portland Ore
  7. "Jerry A. Kotek's Obituary (2011) York Daily Record". Legacy.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  8. "Florence C. Kotek's Obituary (2007) York Daily Record". Legacy.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  9. "1930 US Census for Little Ferry, Bergen, New Jersey". FamilySearch. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  10. "United States Social Security Death Index". FamilySearch. 1974. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  11. "The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey on March 19, 1974 · 45". March 19, 1974. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980". FamilySearch. 1924. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  13. "Státní oblastní archiv v Praze". ebadatelna.soapraha.cz. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  14. "Tina Kotek Is Accomplished—and Struggles to Gain Traction With Some Democrats. Why?". Willamette Week. March 30, 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  15. "Tina Kotek - Ballotpedia". Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
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  17. "UO Alumni, Media Mentions, 3/31/2022". Retrieved September 1, 2022.
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  20. "Kroger wins (another) attorney general nomination". The Oregonian. June 19, 2008. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
  21. "Multnomah County Elections: 2010 primary results". Archived from the original on May 18, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
  22. "Oregon Secretary of State: 2010 general election results". Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  23. "Tina Kotek". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  24. "Tina Kotek replaces Dave Hunt as Oregon House Democratic leader". The Oregonian. June 30, 2011. Archived from the original on September 5, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
  25. "Rep. Kotek is Democrats' nominee for Oregon House speaker". Statesman Journal. November 15, 2012.
  26. "Ore. House to elect first lesbian speaker". United Press International. November 19, 2012. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  27. "Tina Kotek, the Longest-Serving House Speaker in Oregon History, Makes Her Case for the State's Top Job". wweek.com. October 20, 2021. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022. Willamette Week
  28. "Oregon Legislature Convenes, Prepares For Session". Oregon Public Broadcasting. January 12, 2015. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  29. "Tina Kotek Re-Elected Oregon House Speaker, Focuses on Equality in Opening Remarks to the 79th Legislative Assembly" (PDF) (Press release). January 9, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 10, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  30. "Kotek: 'I believe in the things we have done' in record tenure". Portland Tribune. January 15, 2022. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  31. "DLCC Announces New Board Leadership, Members". Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (Press release). December 7, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  32. "New York Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins Elected to Chair of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee". Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (Press release). July 17, 2019.
  33. "Redistricting". Albany Democrat-Herald. April 16, 2021. p. A4. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. VanderHart, Dirk (April 16, 2021). "It's a gamble': Lawmakers reach deal to end delay tactics". Statesman Journal. p. A1. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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  36. "Oregon Supreme Court Dismisses Two Challenges to New Legislative Map". Willamette Week. November 22, 2021. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022.
  37. VanderHart, Dirk (January 6, 2022). "Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek resigning to focus on governor's race". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  38. "Oregon Democrats elect new Majority Leader and Speaker of the House nominee". KGW. January 16, 2022. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  39. "Travis Nelson gets nod for Kotek's former House seat". Oregon Capital Insider. January 28, 2022. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  40. "Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek announces run for governor". KATU. September 1, 2021. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  41. Westerman, Ashley (May 18, 2022). "Tina Kotek's win comes amid a wave of LGBTQ candidates running for office". NPR. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
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  44. Borrud, Hillary (November 9, 2022). "Tina Kotek wins Oregon governor's race, fending off strongest Republican bid in a decade". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  45. "Gov. Tina Kotek, Oregon lawmakers sworn into office with promises of change, unity". Statesman Journal. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
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  47. "Meet Tina Kotek's Wife Aimee Wilson - Family & Parents". thefamilynation.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  48. "Meet Oregon's Tina Kotek, who hopes to be America's first lesbian governor". NBC News. May 30, 2022. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  49. Beck, Byron; Stern, Henry (April 18, 2007). "Basic Rights Oregon and Rep. Tina Kotek". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
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