Tina Kotek on Principles & Values

	Tina Kotek on Principles & Values

My sense of hope comes from my personal faith in God

I tend to think that a prerequisite for public service is a fundamental belief that "the future will be better"--a confidence in a brighter tomorrow, the potential for progress--basically, hope for the future. I know my sense of hope comes from my personal faith in God, as it does for many of you. The choices we make as leaders will have a ripple effect on generations to come, and the good choices will yield health, prosperity, and community resilience. Source: 2025 State of the State Address to the Oregon legislature , Jan 13, 2025

A person of faith, I believe there's equality among us all

Kotek says she believes that Oregon and the U.S. can be a place where there's more fairness and equality. "I'm a person of faith," she says. Kotek grew up Roman Catholic but now attends the Episcopal Church. "I believe that there's equality among us all. We don't need people who have so much money that everybody else has so little." The role of the government is to ensure that there aren't barriers in the way of allowing people to access opportunities to succeed, Kotek says. Source: Eugene Weekly on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race , Nov 24, 2021

Oregon is a state that has allowed me to be myself

In 2013, Tina Kotek made history when she was elected as Oregon's Speaker of the House and became the first out lesbian speaker in any state house in the country.

Kotek is also running to succeed Gov. Kate Brown (D), who is bisexual and became the first out LGBTQ governor in the country when she was elected in 2014. Brown can't seek another term because of term limits.

Running for governor of Oregon, Kotek could become the nation's first out lesbian governor. "It's an honor and frankly a privilege to be a trailblazer in this regard," Kotek told LGBTQ Nation. "I think for me it comes down to what message it sends to young people--It is still hard out there."

"I've had the good fortune to be in the position to do things that really improve the lives of Oregonians, and this is a state I love--and it's a state that has allowed me to be myself. It's a beautiful place and I want to give back. It's about making sure we can continue to improve people's lives."

Source: LGBTQ Nation on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race , Nov 18, 2021

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*Other governors on Principles & Values:*			*Tina Kotek on other issues:*
*OR Gubernatorial:* Bud Pierce Casey Kulla Julian Bell Kerry McQuisten Nicholas Kristof Paul Romero Tobias Read *OR Senatorial:* Jason Beebe Jo Rae Perkins Paul Romero Ron Wyden	*Mayoral/Gubernatorial races 2025* (seated Jan. 2026): NJ Governor: Mikie Sherrill (D), U.S. Rep. NJ-11. vs.Jack Ciattarelli (R), State Assemblyman (2011-2018). NYC Mayor: Zohran Mamdani (D), New York State Assembly, 2021-2025. vs.Andrew Cuomo (I), former governor of New York, 2011-2021. vs.Curtis Sliwa (R), CEO of the Guardian Angels. VA Governor: Abigail Spanberger (D), U.S.Rep., VA-7 (2019-2024). vs.Winsome Earle-Sears (R), Lt. Gov. 2022-2026. *Gubernatorial races 2026*: AK: Mike Dunleavy(R,term-limited) vs.Click Bishop(R) vs.Nancy Dahlstrom(R) vs.Tom Begich(D) AL: Kay Ivey(R,term-limited) vs.Doug Jones(D) vs.Tommy Tuberville(R) vs.Will Boyd(D) vs.Yolanda Flowers(D) AR: Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R,for re-election) vs.Fredrick Love(D) AZ: Katie Hobbs(D,for re-election) vs.Andy Biggs(R) vs.David Schweikert(R) vs.Karrin Taylor Robson(R) CA: Gavin Newsom(D,term-limited) vs.Antonio Villaraigosa(D) vs.Eleni Kounalakis(D,Withdrew to run for state treasurer) vs.Eric Swalwell(D) vs.Tom Steyer(D) vs.Xavier Becerra(D) vs.Zoltan Istvan(L) CO: Jared Polis(D,term-limited) vs.Greg Lopez(R) vs.Michael Bennet(D) vs.Phil Weiser(D) CT: Ned Lamont(D,for re-election) vs.Ryan Fazio(R) vs.Jen Tooker(R,withdrew) FL: Ron DeSantis(R,term-limited) vs.Byron Donalds(R) vs.David Jolly(R) vs.Jason Pizzo(I) vs.Jerry Demings(D) GA: Brian Kemp(R,term-limited) vs.Brad Raffensperger(R) vs.Chris Carr(R) vs.Keisha Lance Bottoms(D) HI: Josh Green(D,(No opponent yet)) IA: Kim Reynolds(R,retiring) vs.Brad Sherman (IA)(R) vs.Randy Feenstra(R) vs.Rob Sand(D) ID: Brad Little(R,for re-election) vs.Terri Pickens(D) IL: J.B. Pritzker(D,for re-election) vs.Darren Bailey(R) KS: Laura Kelly(D,term-limited) vs.Cindy Holscher(D) vs.Jeff Colyer(R) vs.Ty Masterson(R) vs.Vicki Schmidt(R) MA: Maura Healey(D,for re-election) vs.Mike Kennealy(R) MD: Wes Moore(D,for re-election) vs.Dan Cox(R) vs.Christopher Bouchat(R) ME: Janet Mills(D,term-limited) vs.Shenna Bellows(D) vs.Ed Crockett(I) vs.Robert Charles(R)	*Gubernatorial races 2026*: MI: Gretchen Whitmer(D,term-limited) vs.Aric Nesbitt(R) vs.Perry Johnson(R) vs.Jocelyn Benson(D) vs.John James(R) vs.Mike Cox(R) vs.Tom Leonard(R) vs.Mike Duggan(I) vs.Garlin Gilchrist(D,withdrew) MN: Tim Walz(D,retiring) vs.Jeff Johnson 2026(R) vs.Lisa Demuth(R) vs.Mike Lindell(R) vs.Scott Jensen(R) vs.Amy Klobuchar(D) NE: Jim Pillen(R,for re-election) vs.Lynne Walz(D) NH: Kelly Ayotte(R,for re-election) vs.Jon Kiper(D) NM: Michelle Lujan-Grisham(D,term-limited) vs.Deb Haaland(D) vs.Gregg Hull(R) vs.Steve Lanier(R) NV: Aaron Ford(D,) vs.Joe Lombardo(R) NY: Kathy Hochul(D,for re-election) vs.Antonio Delgado(D) vs.Bruce Blakeman(R) vs.Larry Sharpe(L) vs.Elise Stefanik(R,withdrew) OH: Mike DeWine(R,term-limited) vs.Vivek Ramaswamy(R) vs.Amy Acton(D) vs.Jon Husted(R,withdrew) OK: Kevin Stitt(R,term-limited) vs.Charles McCall(R) vs.Cyndi Munson(D) vs.Jake Merrick(R) OR: Tina Kotek(D,for re-election) vs.Christine Drazan(R) PA: Josh Shapiro(D,for re-election) vs.Ken Krawchuk(L) vs.Stacy Garrity(R) RI: Dan McKee(D,for re-election) vs.Helena Foulkes(D) vs.Aaron Guckian(R) SC: Henry McMaster(R,term-limited) vs.Jermaine Johnson(D) vs.Nancy Mace(R) vs.Ralph Norman(R) SD: Larry Rhoden(R,for re-election) vs.Dusty Johnson(R) vs.Jon Hansen(R) vs.Marty Jackley(R,withdrew) TN: Bill Lee(R,term-limited) vs.Marsha Blackburn(R) vs.Carnita Atwater(D) TX: Greg Abbott(R,for re-election) vs.Chris Bell(D) vs.Gina Hinojosa(D) VT: Phil Scott(R,(No opponent yet)) WA: Jay Inslee(D,for re-election) vs.Bob Ferguson(D) WI: Tony Evers(D,retiring) vs.Mandela Barnes(D) vs.Sara Rodriguez(D) vs.Kelda Roys(D) vs.Francesca Hong(D) vs.Tom Tiffany(R) WY: Mark Gordon(R,term-limited) vs.Eric Barlow(R) vs.Megan Degenfelder(R)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]