OR-GOV: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek confirms she will be seeking reelection in 2026
Gov. Tina Kotek formally announced her 2026 reelection bid Thursday, leaving her less than a year to convince Oregonians she remains the best choice to lead the state.
The news came after weeks of clear signals that Kotek, whose campaign has been emailing supporters for months to fundraise, was officially gearing up for the November 2026 election. Kotek’s most prominent political opponent, state Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby revealed in late October that she would be trying her hand for the governorship again, teeing up a possible rematch with a rival who came within a few percentage points of defeating her in 2022.
As Oregon battles sluggish economic growth and rising unemployment, Kotek framed herself as a champion of the state’s values who was aware of the plight of working families. Kotek, a Pennsylvania native who began her career as an advocate for the Oregon Food Bank, rose to political prominence as the state’s longest-serving House Speaker from 2013 to 2022. She worked to pass progressive policies in the Legislature before becoming one of the nation’s two first openly lesbian governors alongside Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.
On Thursday, Kotek highlighted her central role in fighting President Donald Trump’s attempted deployment of the National Guard to Portland and his administration’s opposition to releasing food assistance during the recent government shutdown.
https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/04/oregon-gov-tina-kotek-confirms-she-will-be-seeking-reelection-in-2026/
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