Christine “Tina” Kotek is an American politician who has served as the 39th Governor of Oregon since 2023. A Democrat, she previously represented North and Northeast Portland in the Oregon House of Representatives (2007–2022) and led the chamber as Speaker of the House from 2013 to 2022, making her Oregon’s longest-serving speaker.
Born in York, Pennsylvania, Kotek moved to Oregon in the late 1980s and earned a B.S. in religious studies from the University of Oregon (1990). She later completed a master’s degree in international studies and comparative religion at the University of Washington, after earlier attending Georgetown University. Before elected office, she worked in advocacy and public policy roles, including with the Oregon Food Bank and Children First for Oregon.
Kotek’s political identity is closely tied to housing and social policy. As speaker, she helped drive Oregon’s “missing middle” housing agenda, including landmark reforms that broadened what kinds of homes can be built in neighborhoods historically reserved for single-family zoning. That throughline continued into her governorship, where housing production and homelessness response have defined her early term.
As governor, Kotek has framed her administration around a measurable housing-production target, emergency homelessness actions, and a broader progressive governing agenda spanning public services, mental health, and climate-aligned development. She is also a historic figure in LGBTQ+ political leadership, as one of the first openly lesbian women elected governor in the United States.
Progressive
Achievements
- Elected Governor in 2022 and sworn in January 2023.
- Longest-serving Speaker in Oregon House history (2013–2022).
- Championed major housing reforms, including statewide “missing middle” zoning changes.
- Declared a state of emergency on homelessness on her first day in office and set housing-production targets.
- Signed major housing production funding packages, including hundreds of millions for development and emergency housing.
Controversies
- Scrutiny over staff turnover and concerns about the role of the First Partner in administration operations.
- Criticism over the pace and visible results of homelessness response, especially in Portland and the metro region.
- Pushback from business and local stakeholders on regulatory, cost, and permitting impacts tied to housing policy.
- Ongoing political disputes over public safety, downtown recovery, and statewide resource allocation.
- Polarizing debates around land-use changes and neighborhood-level development impacts.
Top Donors
| Donor | Total | Individuals | PACs |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Trucking Associations | $20,733 | — | — |
| Plexos Group | $20,299 | — | — |
| Premere Rehab | $20,000 | — | — |
| Centene Corp | $20,000 | — | — |
| Intel Corp | $11,000 | — | — |
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Recent Elections
2022 Margin D +3.5%