Tina Kotek Explained

Tina Kotek
Office:39th Governor of Oregon
Term Start:January 9, 2023
Predecessor:Kate Brown
Office1:67th Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
Term Start1:January 14, 2013
Term End1:January 16, 2022
Successor1:Paul Holvey (Acting)
Office2:Majority Leader of the Oregon House of Representatives
Alongside2:Kevin Cameron
Term Start2:June 30, 2011
Term End2:January 14, 2013
Predecessor2:Dave Hunt
Successor2:Val Hoyle
Office3:Speaker pro tempore of the Oregon House of Representatives
Alongside3:Andy Olson
Term Start3:January 10, 2011
Term End3:June 30, 2011
Predecessor3:Arnie Roblan
Successor3:Peter J. Buckley
State House4:Oregon
District4:44th
Term Start4:January 8, 2007
Term End4:January 21, 2022
Predecessor4:Gary Hansen
Successor4:Travis Nelson
Birth Name:Christine Kotek
Birth Place:York, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Party:Democratic

Christine Kotek (;[1] 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.[2] [3]

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.[4] 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 her predecessor 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).[5]

As speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives and governor, Kotek has spearheaded legislation to increase housing production in Oregon to alleviate the state's housing crisis. In 2019, as speaker, she spearheaded legislation to make Oregon the first state to remove single-family-exclusive zoning across the state, permitting duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in residential neighborhoods previously zoned exclusively for single-family homes. In 2024, as governor, her top legislative priority was putting $376 million toward housing production, as well as easing the rules for housing development.

Early life and education

Kotek was born on September 30, 1966, in York, Pennsylvania, to Jerry Albert Kotek[6] and Florence (née Matich).[7] [8] [9] Her father was of Czech ancestry and her mother's parents were Slovenes.[10] Her grandfather František Kotek[11] was a baker from Týnec nad Labem.[12] [13] [14]

Kotek graduated second in her class from Dallastown Area High School.[15] She attended Georgetown University, but left without graduating. She then worked in commercial diving and as a travel agent.

In 1987, Kotek moved to Oregon. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in religious studies from the University of Oregon in 1990.[16] [17] [18] [19] She then studied at the University of Washington, earning a master's degree in international studies and comparative religion.

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.[20] She co-chaired the Human Services Coalition of Oregon during the 2002 budget crisis and co-chaired the Governor's Medicaid Advisory Committee.

Oregon House of Representatives

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.[21] In 2010, she faced a Democratic primary challenge but won over 85% of the vote.[22] Kotek won the 2010 general election with almost 81% of the vote.[23] She was reelected every two years through 2020.[24]

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).[25]

Speakership

After Democrats won a House majority in the 2012 election, they nominated Kotek for speaker of the House for the 2013 legislative session.[26] She was elected to the position, becoming the first out lesbian in the nation to serve as a legislative speaker.[27] [28] She was reelected for in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021.[29] [30] She is Oregon's longest-serving speaker of the House.[31]

In December 2016, Kotek became the chair of the board of directors of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.[32] She left the post in July 2019.[33]

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.[34] [35] Kotek later reversed her decision and restored the Democratic majority on the committee redrawing the congressional districts.[36] [37]

In January 2022, Kotek announced her resignation from the House to focus on her campaign.[38] She was succeeded as speaker by Dan Rayfield[39] and in the 44th district by Travis Nelson.[40]

During her time as speaker, Kotek introduced legislation to allow for more housing construction in Oregon.[41] In 2017, she unsuccessfully pushed for legislation to permit duplexes in residential neighborhoods that were previously exclusively zoned for single-family housing.[42] Her House Bill 2001, which sought to enable missing middle housing, required cities of more than 10,000 and counties of more than 15,000 to allow fourplexes in neighborhoods previously zoned exclusively for single-family housing, and to permit accessory dwelling units and easier rules for subdividing existing homes. The bill passed in 2019, making Oregon the first state to abolish single-family exclusive zoning across the state.[43]

Governor of Oregon

2022 gubernatorial campaign

On September 1, 2021, Kotek declared her candidacy in the 2022 Oregon gubernatorial election.[44] Her main opponent in the Democratic primary was State Treasurer Tobias Read. She won the Democratic primary on May 17, 2022.[45]

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.[46] The election was on November 8. On November 9, The Oregonian, Willamette Week, and Oregon Public Broadcasting declared Kotek the winner of the race with 73% of ballots counted.[47] [48]

Tenure

Kotek was sworn in on January 9, 2023.[49] On her first day in office, she declared a state of emergency due to homelessness.[50] She established a statewide goal of building 36,000 new housing units a year (up from the 22,000 that were being built in the state when she took office).[51] At the time she took office, Oregon was ranked as one of the states most severely underproducing housing relative to demand.[52]

Kotek sold her Portland home and moved to the governor's mansion, Mahonia Hall, in Salem.[53]

In 2024, Kotek's legislative priority was to boost housing production in Oregon. In March 2024, she signed bipartisan legislation to put $376 million toward housing production, including a $75 million revolving loan fund to enable localities to build affordable housing, $131 million for emergency housing, $123.5 to enable localities to acquire and develop shovel-ready housing, and $24.5 million to improve the energy efficiency and air quality in housing. She initially proposed $500 million but legislators considered that too much.[54]

Personal life

Kotek and her wife, Aimee Wilson, met in 2005 and married in a private ceremony in 2017.[55] They have lived together in Portland's Kenton neighborhood since 2005.[56] Kotek was one of the Oregon Legislative Assembly's few openly LGBTQ+ members and the first lesbian speaker of a state house.[57]

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

Electoral history

Governor of Oregon

See main article: 2022 Oregon gubernatorial election.

See also

External links

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Notes and References

  1. March 25, 2024. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek's wife has office, staffer, attends meetings. KOIN 6. YouTube. August 20, 2024 . 00:02.
  2. News: November 8, 2022 . Oregon Governor Election Results . en-US . The New York Times . November 10, 2022 . 0362-4331 . November 10, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221110184355/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-oregon-governor.html . live .
  3. Web site: November 10, 2022 . Tackling homelessness top goal for Oregon Democrat Kotek . November 11, 2022 . AP NEWS . en . November 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221111011627/https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-united-states-portland-oregon-government-and-politics-f44da06cdc42ce0f4686615083ed339a . live .
  4. News: Tina Kotek, the Longest-Serving House Speaker in Oregon History, Makes Her Case for the State's Top Job . . October 20, 2021 . Rachel . Monahan . Nigel . Jaquiss . Nigel Jaquiss . August 31, 2022 . August 31, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220831235535/https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/10/20/tina-kotek-the-longest-serving-house-speaker-in-oregon-history-makes-her-case-for-the-states-top-job/ . live .
  5. News: Epstein . Reid J. . November 11, 2022 . Tina Kotek, a Progressive, Will Be Oregon's Next Governor . en-US . The New York Times . November 11, 2022 . 0362-4331 . November 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221111035353/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/10/us/politics/oregon-governor-kotek-drazan.html . live .
  6. News: Statement of Organization for Candidate Committee . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221018011032/https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/sooDetail.do?sooRsn=3937 . October 18, 2022.
  7. News: Obituary for Jerry A. Kotek . November 2, 2011 . The York Dispatch . York, Pennsylvania . 24 . October 1, 2022 . Jerry is survived by... a daughter Tina Kotek and her partner Aimee Wilson of Portland Ore . October 1, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221001174613/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/614826951/ . live .
  8. Web site: Jerry A. Kotek's Obituary (2011) York Daily Record . November 9, 2022 . Legacy.com . November 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221109085059/https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/york/name/jerry-kotek-obituary?id=21091604 . live .
  9. Web site: Florence C. Kotek's Obituary (2007) York Daily Record . November 9, 2022 . Legacy.com . November 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221109085057/https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/york/name/florence-kotek-obituary?id=25661441 . live .
  10. Web site: 1930 US Census for Little Ferry, Bergen, New Jersey . . October 1, 2022.
  11. Web site: 1974 . United States Social Security Death Index . FamilySearch . November 9, 2022 . November 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221109085100/https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JBYC-R43 . live .
  12. Web site: The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey on March 19, 1974 · 45 . March 19, 1974 . November 9, 2022 . Newspapers.com . en . November 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221109085059/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/492856748/?terms=kotek&match=1 . live .
  13. Web site: 1924 . New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980 . FamilySearch . November 9, 2022 . November 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221109085100/https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPTF-HDJ9 . live .
  14. Web site: Státní oblastní archiv v Praze . November 9, 2022 . ebadatelna.soapraha.cz . November 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221109085059/https://ebadatelna.soapraha.cz/d/12982/182 . live .
  15. Web site: Tina Kotek Is Accomplished—and Struggles to Gain Traction With Some Democrats. Why?. Willamette Week. March 30, 2022. September 2, 2022. May 21, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220521190647/https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2022/03/30/tina-kotek-is-accomplishedand-struggles-to-gain-traction-with-some-democrats-why/. live.
  16. News: Tina Kotek - Ballotpedia. en-US. October 26, 2017. November 12, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221112023627/https://ballotpedia.org/Tina_Kotek. live.
  17. Web site: The Voter's Self-Defense Guide, Tina Kotek's Biography. September 1, 2022. October 26, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221026203638/https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/46559/tina-kotek. live.
  18. Web site: UO Alumni, Media Mentions, 3/31/2022. September 1, 2022.
  19. Web site: Oregon Voter's Guide, May 2022, Tina Kotek. September 1, 2022. December 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221206052402/https://oregonvotes.gov/voters-guide/english/votersguide.html#Tina%20Kotek. live.
  20. Web site: Emily's List, Tina Kotek. September 2, 2022. September 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220903043938/https://emilyslist.org/candidates/tina-kotek-21. live.
  21. News: June 19, 2008. Kroger wins (another) attorney general nomination. The Oregonian. June 21, 2008. May 22, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110522132139/http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/06/kroger_wins_another_attorney_g.html. live.
  22. Web site: Multnomah County Elections: 2010 primary results. May 20, 2010. May 18, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100518160737/http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/dbcs/elections/2010-05/results.shtml. live.
  23. Web site: Oregon Secretary of State: 2010 general election results. April 27, 2021. December 2, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201202182926/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/RecordView/6873642. live.
  24. Web site: Tina Kotek. September 1, 2021. Ballotpedia. en. November 12, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221112023627/https://ballotpedia.org/Tina_Kotek. live.
  25. News: June 30, 2011. Tina Kotek replaces Dave Hunt as Oregon House Democratic leader. The Oregonian. March 1, 2012. September 5, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110905150827/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/06/tina_kotek_replaces_dave_hunt.html. live.
  26. News: November 15, 2012. Rep. Kotek is Democrats' nominee for Oregon House speaker. Statesman Journal.
  27. News: November 19, 2012. Ore. House to elect first lesbian speaker. United Press International. September 1, 2022. February 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217204234/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/11/19/Ore-House-to-elect-first-lesbian-speaker/56391353356254/. live.
  28. News: October 20, 2021. Tina Kotek, the Longest-Serving House Speaker in Oregon History, Makes Her Case for the State's Top Job. Willamette Week. September 1, 2022. wweek.com. August 31, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220831235539/https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/10/20/tina-kotek-the-longest-serving-house-speaker-in-oregon-history-makes-her-case-for-the-states-top-job/. live.
  29. News: January 12, 2015. Oregon Legislature Convenes, Prepares For Session. Oregon Public Broadcasting. February 15, 2015. February 15, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150215135515/http://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-house-begins-2015-session-kotek-re-elected-speaker-/. dead.
  30. Tina Kotek Re-Elected Oregon House Speaker, Focuses on Equality in Opening Remarks to the 79th Legislative Assembly. January 9, 2017. January 10, 2017. January 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170110161831/https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek/Documents/Tina%20Kotek%20Re-Elected%20as%20Oregon%20House%20Speaker,%20Focuses%20on%20Equality%20in%20Opening%20Remarks.pdf. dead.
  31. Web site: Kotek: 'I believe in the things we have done' in record tenure. Portland Tribune. January 15, 2022. September 2, 2022. September 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220903061522/https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/533413-426769-kotek-i-believe-in-the-things-we-have-done-in-record-tenure. live.
  32. December 7, 2016. DLCC Announces New Board Leadership, Members. en. Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. August 25, 2017.
  33. New York Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins Elected to Chair of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. July 17, 2019.
  34. News: April 16, 2021 . Redistricting . A4 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220521022128/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102245057/albany-democrat-herald/ . May 21, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  35. News: Dirk. VanderHart. April 16, 2021 . It's a gamble': Lawmakers reach deal to end delay tactics . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220521022419/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102245171/statesman-journal/ . May 21, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  36. News: Nigel. Jaquiss. Nigel Jaquiss. March 30, 2022 . Tina Kotek Is Accomplished—and Struggles to Gain Traction With Some Democrats. Why? . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220521190647/https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2022/03/30/tina-kotek-is-accomplishedand-struggles-to-gain-traction-with-some-democrats-why/ . May 21, 2022.
  37. News: November 22, 2021 . Oregon Supreme Court Dismisses Two Challenges to New Legislative Map . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220521190752/https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/11/22/the-oregon-supreme-court-dismisses-two-challenges-to-new-legislative-map/ . May 21, 2022.
  38. Web site: Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek resigning to focus on governor's race. January 6, 2022. January 16, 2022. Dirk. VanderHart. Oregon Public Broadcasting. January 15, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220115230535/https://www.opb.org/article/2022/01/06/oregon-governors-race-house-speaker-tina-kotek-resigning/. live.
  39. News: January 16, 2022. Oregon Democrats elect new Majority Leader and Speaker of the House nominee. KGW. January 16, 2022. January 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220117043746/https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/oregon-democrats-elect-new-caucus-leader-speaker-house-nominee/283-b3ea889a-fc60-4f54-8972-a9dfd05668bb. live.
  40. Web site: Travis Nelson gets nod for Kotek's former House seat. Oregon Capital Insider. January 28, 2022. September 3, 2022. September 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220903060302/https://www.oregoncapitalinsider.com/news/travis-nelson-gets-nod-for-koteks-former-house-seat/article_14e1e0ee-8062-11ec-836c-7bff5ccd44ed.html. live.
  41. Web site: 2024 . What Should Oregon Look Like? The Fight Over Single-Family Zoning . opb . en.
  42. Web site: Isaiah . December 21, 2023 . A Bipartisan Vision for the Benefits of Middle Housing: The Case of Oregon . The Century Foundation . en.
  43. News: 2019 . Oregon Legislature Votes To Essentially Ban Single-Family Zoning . NPR.
  44. Web site: September 1, 2021. Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek announces run for governor. September 2, 2021. KATU. January 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220107112215/https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-house-speaker-tina-kotek-announces-run-for-governor. live.
  45. News: Westerman . Ashley . May 18, 2022 . Tina Kotek's win comes amid a wave of LGBTQ candidates running for office . . May 18, 2022 . December 18, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221218123951/https://www.npr.org/2022/05/18/1099681767/tina-koteks-win-comes-amid-a-wave-of-lgbtq-candidates-running-for-office . live .
  46. Web site: In Normally Sleepy August, the Oregon Governor's Race Heats Up. Portland Monthly. August 3, 2022. September 3, 2022. February 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230210131702/https://www.pdxmonthly.com/news-and-city-life/2022/08/oregon-governors-race-kotek-drazan-johnson-tv-ads. live.
  47. News: Democrat Tina Kotek will be Oregon's next governor . November 9, 2022 . Oregon Public Broadcasting . en . November 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221109214110/https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/08/oregon-governor-race-election-results-democrat-tina-kotek-republican-christine-drazan-elections-2022/ . live .
  48. News: The Oregonian . Hillary . Borrud . November 9, 2022 . Tina Kotek wins Oregon governor's race, fending off strongest Republican bid in a decade . November 10, 2022 . en . November 10, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221110025222/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/11/tina-kotek-wins-oregon-governors-race-fending-off-strongest-republican-bid-in-a-decade.html . live .
  49. News: Gov. Tina Kotek, Oregon lawmakers sworn into office with promises of change, unity . January 12, 2023 . Statesman Journal . August 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230806050134/https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2023/01/09/gov-tina-kotek-oregon-lawmakers-sworn-into-office-amid-promises-of-change-unity/69779657007/ . live .
  50. News: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signs executive orders aimed at homelessness, declares state of emergency . January 12, 2023 . Statesman Journal . August 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230806050145/https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/11/oregon-governor-tina-kotek-executive-orders-homelessness-state-of-emergency/69795388007/ . live .
  51. Web site: Lawmakers approve Gov. Tina Kotek's top priority for the session; funding expected to ease Oregon housing crisis . March 6, 2024 . opb . en.
  52. Web site: 2024 . Oregon lawmakers send Gov. Tina Kotek's $376M housing package to her desk for signature . Statesman Journal . en-US.
  53. Web site: Gov. Tina Kotek sells North Portland home, moves to Mahonia Hall . September 21, 2023 .
  54. Web site: February 4, 2024 . Gov. Tina Kotek's $500 million bill targets Oregon's housing crisis with infrastructure boost, land use expansions . oregonlive . en.
  55. Web site: Meet Tina Kotek's Wife Aimee Wilson - Family & Parents . January 2, 2023 . thefamilynation.com . en . January 2, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230102061701/https://thefamilynation.com/meet-tina-koteks-wife-aimee-wilson . live .
  56. News: May 30, 2022 . Meet Oregon's Tina Kotek, who hopes to be America's first lesbian governor . NBC News . September 2, 2022 . November 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221127002027/https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/meet-oregons-tina-kotek-hopes-americas-first-lesbian-governor-rcna30628 . live .
  57. Web site: Beck. Byron. Byron Beck (blogger). Stern. Henry. April 18, 2007. Basic Rights Oregon and Rep. Tina Kotek. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150715024027/http://www.wweek.com/portland/print-article-6888-print.html. July 15, 2015. September 28, 2011. Willamette Week.

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