Gov. Tina Kotek announced Thursday that she will seek another term in office, saying “Oregon values are on the line” as she pitched herself as the candidate to stand up to President Donald Trump.
The Democrat’s announcement was long seen as a formality. It sets up a potential rematch with her longtime political rival, Republican State Sen. Christine Drazan, who launched her campaign in October and could face a crowded Republican primary.
“The choice is between a governor who will stand up for Oregon and protect what we believe in, or a governor who will let Donald Trump do whatever he wants,” Kotek said in a news release.
Kotek has been one of Oregon’s most influential Democrats for nearly two decades. Prior to being elected governor in 2022, Kotek was the longest serving House Speaker in Oregon history. She entered Mahonia Hall as the state struggled to rebound from the pressures of the pandemic.
In her announcement, Kotek pointed to examples she claims are evidence of Oregon’s progress during her tenure, in everything from housing to education to abortion rights.
But her campaign comes as the state faces economic challenges and compounding crises in housing, mental health and addiction that she has long pledged to fix.
Kotek has steered vast sums of state funds toward these issues during her term. Still, homelessness has increased, annual housing production has dropped, and the state’s schools are mired by some of the nation’s lowest standardized testing scores.
The governor was quick to point to her recent clashes with the Trump administration as a primary reason why Oregonians should choose her again. Those include the state’s ongoing court fight over the president’s attempts to deploy the National Guard to Portland, and the near loss of federal food assistance payments during the federal government shutdown.
“When President Trump tried to force troops into our communities and rip away food assistance, we were ready,” said Kotek. “We stopped an unnecessary military deployment, restored SNAP benefits, and got help to families fast.”
Already, powerful Oregon Democrats, unions and other political groups are lining up behind Kotek.
Among them are the Oregon Nurses Association and EMILYs List, a Washington D.C.-based political action committee that tries to elect pro-choice Democratic women. She also has the backing of Oregon’s largest public sector unions, which dominate Democratic politics.
“Governor Kotek has been a trusted and effective partner in helping drive Portland’s comeback,” Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said in a statement. “She’s focused on expanding housing, cutting red tape, and bringing people together to move our city forward. I’m proud to support her re-election for Governor.”
Kotek’s gubernatorial bid comes the same week that she announced a widespread effort to rekindle Oregon’s business environment as the state sheds jobs and its economy stagnates.
The governor unveiled what she calls a “Prosperity Roadmap,” a multi-pronged plan that seeks to streamline regulations and use tax changes and incentive programs to spark job growth and incentivize businesses to work in Oregon, among other things.
The road ahead for Kotek already looks tricky. Opponents of her recently passed transportation bill say they have more than enough signatures to send the bill to voters.
If that happens, her Republican opponents are all but certain to tie Kotek to the bill’s tax increases, a political challenge for the governor as many Oregonians remain gripped by the rising cost of living.
This story may be updated.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
