Press Releases

PORTLAND, OR – Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), Oregon’s farmworker union and the largest Latino organization in the state, today announced its endorsement of Governor Tina Kotek for a second term as Governor.

“Latino, immigrant, and farmworker communities know Governor Kotek doesn’t just talk – she delivers,” said Reyna Lopez, Executive Director of PCUN. “She led the fight to finally end the exclusion of farmworkers from overtime protections, has stood up for Oregon’s essential workers, and has never wavered in defending Oregon’s immigrant and refugee families from Donald Trump’s chaos and violence. At a time when Trump is driving up costs, attacking our fundamental rights, and targeting our communities, we need a governor who will stand her ground. Governor Kotek has proven she will – and PCUN is proud to endorse her.”

“I’m proud to stand with PCUN and the communities they fight for every day,” said Governor Kotek. “Over the past year, we have lived through moments unlike anything our state or country has seen before. When President Trump threatened our communities and tried to rip away the programs and protections our families rely on, we fought back and won. I will never back down or stop working to lower costs, defend our fundamental rights, and build an economy that works for everyone – because that is the kind of leader that Oregon families deserve.”

“As PCUNistas, we know Governor Tina Kotek has stood with farmworkers and immigrant families in important moments,” said PCUN member Don Enrique. “Across Oregon, farmworkers continue to face fear, instability, and pressure. This endorsement is about defending the progress that working people have made and building the power we need to continue fighting for our future.”

Throughout her career, Governor Kotek has been a steadfast champion for farmworkers, working families, and Oregon’s immigrant communities:

• Governor Kotek issued an executive order to create a new Interagency Council for Immigrant and Refugee Coordination to strengthen the state’s ability to protect immigrant and refugee communities and joined 31 Oregon mayors in calling for an immediate halt to unlawful ICE immigration enforcement actions in our communities.
• In 2026, Governor Kotek signed into law increased workers’ compensation benefits for injured workers to ensure Oregonians have the financial stability they need to recover and return to work.
• In 2025, Governor Kotek passed landmark legislation making Oregon the first state to expand unemployment benefits to striking workers, championing the bill early on to ensure it passed the legislature.
• Governor Kotek oversaw the rollout of Oregon’s landmark Farmworker Overtime law, ensuring farmworkers receive overtime pay and are brought in line with statewide standards by 2027, after championing its passage as Speaker.
• As Speaker, Governor Kotek created the nation’s first state-run retirement savings program for workers, passed legislation to raise the minimum wage across Oregon, and implemented the state’s paid family and medical leave program, which has paid out over $1 billion in benefits to more than 150,000 Oregonians as of March 2025.

PCUN joins a growing coalition supporting Governor Kotek’s reelection bid alongside the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, OSFFC, Oregon School Employees Association, Oregon Labor Federation, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Building Trades, North Coast Carpenters Union, SEIU Oregon, AFSCME Council 75, UFCW Local 555, The Mother PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Alliance for a Safe Oregon Action, and more.

ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK

Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.

Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.

PORTLAND, OR – The Oregon State Fire Fighters Council (OSFFC), representing professional firefighters and emergency medical personnel across the state, today announced its endorsement of Governor Tina Kotek for a second term as Governor.

“From expanding paid family leave to lowering our retirement age to investing in wildfire preparedness, Governor Kotek has delivered for firefighters and working families across Oregon,” said Kevin Larson, OSFFC President. “She’s fought for us at every turn: increasing our cancer protections, expanding recruitment through apprenticeships, and making sure firefighters have a seat at the table.”

“I’m honored to have the endorsement of the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council and the brave firefighters who risk their lives to protect our communities every day,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “Oregon’s firefighters run toward danger so the rest of us don’t have to – and they deserve a governor who will always fight for their safety, their benefits, and the resources they need to do their jobs.”

Throughout her career, Governor Kotek has been a steadfast champion for Oregon’s firefighters, investing in the resources, benefits, and protections they need to keep Oregon safe:

• In 2026, Governor Kotek signed into law increased workers’ compensation benefits for injured workers to ensure Oregonians, including our firefighters, have the financial stability they need to recover and return to work.
• Governor Kotek has consistently backed policies that move Oregon away from a purely seasonal, crisis-driven wildfire response model, establishing the state’s first dedicated long-term resources for wildfire response and resilience to ensure local fire departments can recoup funds after keeping their communities safe.
• After the 2024 wildfire season devastated Eastern Oregon communities, Governor Kotek secured a federal Major Disaster Declaration and called a Special Legislative Session to appropriate $218 million for wildfire response and recovery.
• In 2024, she signed legislation lowering the PERS retirement age to 55 for firefighters, honoring long-term service and recognizing the physically demanding work they do to protect Oregon communities.
• Governor Kotek also expanded the circumstances under which firefighters can qualify for disability benefits under PERS and broadened the presumptive conditions allowed under workers’ compensation claims, recognizing the long-term toll that job-related injuries and exposure can take on firefighters’ health.
• Governor Kotek has championed the Oregon State Fire Fighters Apprenticeship program to ensure Oregon firefighters have proper training and that fire service reflects the communities it serves.
• She also ensured firefighters are represented on the Management-Labor Advisory Committee (MLAC), which reviews and addresses policy surrounding Oregon’s workers’ compensation laws and systems.
• After championing its passage as speaker, Governor Kotek oversaw the implementation of Oregon’s landmark paid family and medical leave law. As of March 2025, Paid Leave Oregon had paid out over $1 billion in benefits to more than 150,000 Oregonians.

The OSFFC joins a growing coalition supporting Governor Kotek’s reelection bid alongside the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Oregon School Employees Association, Oregon Labor Federation, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Building Trades, North Coast Carpenters Union, PCUN, SEIU Oregon, AFSCME Council 75, UFCW Local 555, The Mother PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Alliance for a Safe Oregon Action, and more.

ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK

Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.

Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.

SALEM, OR – Governor Tina Kotek today signed a package of legislation focused on protecting Oregonians’ reproductive health care, keeping Planned Parenthood clinic doors open in every part of the state, and ensuring access to lifesaving vaccines as President Trump and Republicans in Congress escalate their attacks on patients, providers, and public health. The signing builds on Governor Kotek’s broader record of standing up for Oregonian’s reproductive freedom and expanding public health access across every corner of the state.

“Reproductive freedom shouldn’t depend on who’s in the White House,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “While President Trump and extreme Republicans in Washington, D.C. defund Planned Parenthood and turn back the clock on decades of progress, Oregon is doing the opposite – protecting patients, protecting providers, and expanding access. As long as I am Governor, our state will not back down.”

“While Donald Trump and extreme Republicans in Congress work to defund Planned Parenthood, undermine vaccine access, and rip away reproductive freedom, Governor Kotek is doing the opposite – keeping clinic doors open in every part of Oregon, strengthening shield protections for patients and providers, and defending access to lifesaving vaccines,” said Christopher Coburn, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Action Oregon. “Planned Parenthood Action Oregon is proud to stand with the Governor, and we’ll keep fighting alongside her to protect Oregonians’ access to care.”

Governor Kotek has made protecting reproductive freedom, defending health care access, and standing up to federal attacks on Oregonians a central priority throughout her time in office:

• In November 2025, after the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress defunded Planned Parenthood, Governor Kotek directed millions in emergency state funding to keep Planned Parenthood health centers open across Oregon. The legislation she signed today makes that protection ongoing, guaranteeing uninterrupted coverage for more than 42,000 Oregonians who rely on Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing, and other essential preventive care.
• In September 2025, Governor Kotek joined the governors of California and Washington to launch the West Coast Health Alliance, later joined by Hawaii, to defend evidence-based public health standards as the federal government plays politics with vaccines. The vaccine access law she signed today builds directly on that work.
• Immediately following Donald Trump’s election in 2024, Governor Kotek announced that Oregon had secured a long-term supply of abortion medication. She also expanded protections for medical providers and patient privacy to ensure that Oregon continues to have the strongest reproductive health care protections in the nation.
• In 2023, Governor Kotek signed Oregon’s original Shield Law – one of the strongest in the nation – protecting providers and patients seeking reproductive and gender-affirming care. Today’s expanded Shield Law further protects providers and patients from out-of-state extraditions, subpoenas, and disclosure of personally identifiable health information for care that is fully legal in Oregon.
• As Speaker of the Oregon House, Governor Kotek led the passage of the Reproductive Health Equity Act in 2017, codifying Oregonians’ right to access abortion, contraception, and reproductive health care without cost barriers – and as Governor, she directed regulators to enforce full insurer compliance with the law.

ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK

Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.

Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.

PORTLAND, OR — The Eugene Weekly Editorial Board endorsed Governor Tina Kotek in the Democratic Primary, citing her record of delivering results, especially on housing and homelessness, while standing up to President Trump’s attacks on Oregon.

“Eugene/Springfield voters deserve a governor who shows up, listens, learns, and keeps delivering – and that’s exactly the work I’ll keep doing,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “At a time when President Trump is gutting healthcare, ripping away food assistance, and unleashing chaos in our communities, Oregon needs a governor who will defend our values.  I’ll always stand with Oregonians, and I’ll keep doing the work to lower costs, build more housing, and build an economy that works for every community in our state.”

Throughout her career, Governor Kotek has been a steadfast champion for Eugene/Springfield and all Lane County communities:

• Governor Kotek fought to protect Lane County’s emergency medical care and was a strong partner in the coalition effort to change PeaceHealth’s plans. She sent a letter to PeaceHealth strongly requesting a 180-day delay of their planned transition to a venture capital-backed staffing company, directed the Oregon Medical Board to provide weekly updates on physician staffing, and directed the Oregon Health Authority to monitor compliance with the corporate practice of medicine law she signed in 2025.
• When President Trump threatened to strip SNAP benefits from 750,000 Oregonians, Governor Kotek declared a hunger emergency. As soon as the courts ruled that the federal government had to resume funding, her administration worked through the night to make sure food benefits were back in Oregonians’ accounts that day. 
• When Trump tried to unlawfully deploy the Oregon National Guard into Portland, she blocked it. And when ICE enforcement escalated, she issued an executive order to ramp up the state’s response and joined 31 Oregon mayors in calling for a halt to enforcement actions, including Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson.
• Governor Kotek delivered a $25 million privately funded partnership to expand mental health and addiction care for kids, including in Lane County, overhauled civil commitment laws to get people help faster, and added hundreds of new mental health and addiction treatment beds statewide.
• In 2024, she signed a $376 million Emergency Housing Stabilization and Production Package to cut red tape, simplify the building process, and increase interest-free loans to local governments, including the Moderate Income Revolving Loan program to kickstart housing construction in communities like Eugene/Springfield.
• Governor Kotek established the state’s first-ever Prosperity Council and released a Prosperity Roadmap to build an economy that works for every corner of Oregon – including support for the Southern Willamette Valley Innovation Corridor, which will leverage the University of Oregon and Oregon State University to create higher-wage jobs and economic opportunity in the region.
• On Day One of her administration, Governor Kotek declared a homelessness state of emergency with Eugene/Springfield identified as a focus region. She championed $205 million to create Oregon’s first permanent statewide shelter system and $138 million for rehousing and rental assistance, keeping 24,000 households from losing their housing and helping 3,300 families transition from shelters back into housing.

The Eugene Weekly Editorial Board joins a growing coalition supporting Governor Kotek’s reelection bid alongside the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, UFCW Local 555, Oregon Labor Federation, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Building Trades, North Coast Carpenters Union, The Mother PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Alliance for a Safe Oregon Action, OSEA, SEIU Oregon, AFSCME Council 75, and more.

ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK

Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.

Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.

SALEM, OR – Governor Tina Kotek this week signed a bipartisan package of legislation focused on strengthening Oregon’s mental health and addiction care workforce, supporting frontline providers, and protecting Oregonians – especially young people – from emerging risks from irresponsible technology. The effort builds on Governor Kotek’s broader record of expanding mental health and addiction care to every corner of the state.

“Every Oregonian deserves access to quality mental health and addiction care – no matter where they live or the size of their paycheck,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “While the Trump administration recklessly cuts federal healthcare funding, Oregon is doing the opposite: investing in our providers, expanding treatment, and tearing down the barriers that keep Oregonians from getting the help they need. I won’t let Washington D.C. dictate who in Oregon gets care, and I will keep fighting to make sure those in crisis can get the help they need when they need it.”

Governor Kotek has made expanding access to mental health and addiction care a central priority throughout her time in office – increasing treatment capacity, growing the workforce, and ensuring more Oregonians can get care close to home.

• In 2025, Governor Kotek launched the Behavioral Health Talent Council, which is chaired by First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson, to develop a comprehensive action plan to address Oregon’s behavioral health workforce crisis, tackle worker shortages in rural communities, reduce turnover, and strengthen recruitment and retention for providers serving Oregon Health Plan members.
• Governor Kotek also signed bipartisan legislation in 2025 to improve and expand mental health and addiction care across Oregon, including a $65 million investment to expand residential treatment capacity.
• Governor Kotek has delivered major investments in Oregon’s behavioral health workforce – including $60 million in workforce incentives for scholarships, loan repayment, retention, and peer support, and $20 million in clinical supervision grants – to help recruit, train, and retain providers across the state.
• Under Governor Kotek’s leadership, Oregon has created over 600 new mental health and addiction treatment beds and expanded access to addiction counselors so more Oregonians in crisis can get the care they need close to home.
• As the Trump administration recklessly cuts federal healthcare funding, Governor Kotek has continued to invest in the systems and people Oregonians rely on for behavioral health care – and refused to let Washington dictate who in Oregon does or doesn’t get the care they need.

ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK

Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.

Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.

PORTLAND, OR – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555, Oregon’s largest private-sector labor union representing more than 30,000 workers in grocery, meat, retail, plants and manufacturing, healthcare industry, and pharmacies across the Pacific Northwest, today announced its endorsement of Governor Tina Kotek for a second term as Governor.

“Governor Kotek has shown time and time again that she will go to bat for the workers who stock our shelves, fill our prescriptions, and keep Oregon’s industries running,” said UFCW Local 555 President Dan Clay. “Whether it’s fighting to expand unemployment benefits for striking workers or standing up for fair wages, Tina Kotek doesn’t back down from taking on corporate interests to protect working people, and UFCW is proud to have her back.”

“I’m honored to have the endorsement of UFCW and the thousands of workers who keep Oregon running every day,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “These workers show up for us every single day, even as President Trump drives costs up and gives wealthy corporations massive handouts at their expense. I won’t let President Trump’s dangerous agenda undo the progress we’ve made in Oregon. I will never stop fighting for fair wages, safe workplaces, and an economy where the people who do the essential work can actually afford to live in the communities they serve.”

“Many Oregonians are living on the knife’s edge between prosperity and poverty,” said Stacy Anderson, a Local 555 member and healthcare worker. “As working families face an affordability crisis – with grocery prices increasing by 30% since 2020 – Governor Kotek has done great work lowering costs for working families by reigning in utility rate hikes, canceling proposed freeway tolls, and banning hidden junk fees. I’m grateful to partner with Governor Kotek in fighting for Oregon families.”

Throughout her career, Governor Kotek has been a steadfast champion for Oregon’s workers, partnering with unions to strengthen worker protections, support good-paying jobs, and ensure working people have a real voice on the job and in our economy:

• In 2025, Governor Kotek passed landmark legislation making Oregon the first state to expand unemployment benefits to striking workers, championing the bill early on to ensure it passed the legislature.
• In 2026, Governor Kotek signed into law increased workers’ compensation benefits for injured workers to ensure Oregonians have the financial stability they need to recover and return to work.
• Governor Kotek has fought to lower costs for working families by reigning in utility rate hikes, canceling proposed freeway tolls, banning hidden junk fees, and protecting Oregonians’ credit scores from medical debt.
• She also called on companies both privately and publicly to stop their anti-union campaigns and sign neutrality agreements when workers organize.
• Governor Kotek oversaw the implementation of Oregon’s landmark paid family and medical leave law after championing its passage as Speaker. As of March 2025, Paid Leave Oregon had paid out over $1 billion in benefits to more than 150,000 Oregonians.
• As Speaker, Governor Kotek also passed legislation to raise the minimum wage across Oregon, implemented paid sick leave, and created the nation’s first state-run retirement savings program for workers.

UFCW Local 555 joins a growing coalition supporting Governor Kotek’s reelection bid alongside the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Oregon School Employees Association, Oregon Labor Federation, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Building Trades, North Coast Carpenters Union, SEIU Oregon, AFSCME Council 75, The Mother PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Alliance for a Safe Oregon Action, and more.

ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK

Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.

Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.

PORTLAND, OR — Today, the Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV) announced its endorsement of Governor Tina Kotek for reelection, citing her strong record on climate action, clean energy, and defending Oregon’s environmental values against President Trump’s attacks.

“As Donald Trump and his MAGA allies work to roll back decades of environmental progress, Oregon needs a governor who won’t flinch – and that’s exactly who Tina Kotek is,” said Lindsey Scholten, OLCV Executive Director. “Governor Kotek has a proven record of fighting for Oregon’s climate, from passing landmark clean energy legislation as Speaker, to re-establishing the Climate Protection Program and defending Solar for All funding from Trump’s attacks in court. OLCV is proud to stand with her as she continues to protect our lands, our climate, and our communities.”

“I’m honored to have the support of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters and committed to being the environmental champion Oregon needs right now,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “As Donald Trump works to dismantle decades of environmental progress, Oregon must be a backstop – and for the next four years, that’s exactly what I’ll continue to do. Every Oregonian deserves to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live in a state that takes the climate crisis seriously, and that commitment will never waver on my watch.”

Since taking office, Governor Kotek has built a strong climate record, including:

• In 2025, Governor Kotek re-established Oregon’s Climate Protection Program, putting Oregon back on track to reduce climate pollution through 2050, and committed to vetoing any future rollback of the program unless replaced with one of equal or greater strength.
• Governor Kotek also signed executive orders to accelerate clean energy siting and permitting, advance climate resilience across state lands and waters, and strengthen coordination across state government to meet Oregon’s clean energy goals.
• She secured $197 million in EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant funding, making Oregon the only West Coast state to receive the award and supporting climate solutions for communities, businesses, nonprofits, and Tribes across the state.
• Governor Kotek signed the POWER Act, requiring large industrial energy users consuming more than 20 megawatts to pay their fair share of electricity costs, and launched Oregon’s Offshore Wind Roadmap to balance clean energy development with coastal and fisheries interests.
• She also defended $87 million in Solar for All funding to expand clean energy access for low-income communities, joining a multi-state lawsuit to challenge the program’s illegal termination by the Trump Administration.
• Governor Kotek has committed to upholding Oregon’s long legacy of land use protections, modernizing state water laws, completing implementation of the Private Forest Accord, and ensuring that environmental and climate policies advance equity for frontline, rural, and low-income communities.
• As Speaker of the Oregon House, Governor Kotek championed the passage of the Clean Energy for All Act, committing Oregon to 100% clean electricity by 2040, one of the most ambitious clean energy standards in the nation.

OLCV joins a growing coalition supporting Governor Kotek’s reelection bid alongside the OSEA, Oregon Labor Federation, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Building Trades, North Coast Carpenters Union, The Mother PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Alliance for a Safe Oregon Action, OSEA, SEIU Oregon, AFSCME Council 75, and more.

ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK

Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.

Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.

PORTLAND, OR – Governor Tina Kotek released the below statement in response to President Trump’s executive order today on vote by mail:

“Today, President Trump signed an executive order that represents a direct attack on the fundamental right of every American to cast their vote and have it counted. This order is not about election integrity — it is a massive and unconstitutional voter suppression effort spearheaded by President Trump. Ultimately, this is about silencing people.

“Oregon has been a national leader in vote by mail for over 25 years. Since we became the first state in the nation to conduct all elections entirely by mail in 2000, Oregonians have cast their ballots safely, securely, and conveniently, and our elections have been a model for the rest of the country. Our system works. It is trusted. And it has consistently produced strong voter participation precisely because it makes voting more accessible, not less.

“We will fight this order with every tool available to us in order to protect Oregon’s well-tested, fair electoral process. To every Oregonian: your vote is safe, your voice matters, and I will not let this administration silence you. Democracy is not negotiable – and neither is your right to vote.”

PORTLAND, OR – The Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA) announced today their endorsement of Tina Kotek for a second term as Governor. OSEA represents more than 25,000 education professionals in school districts, community colleges, education service districts, and Head Start programs across Oregon.

“From her time as an advocate for children to her service as Governor, Tina Kotek has been a champion for students, education workers, and strong public schools,” said OSEA State President Sarah Wofford. “While federal funding is uncertain and costs are rising for working families, Governor Kotek is focused on delivering results – strengthening our schools, protecting our students, and supporting union workers and the labor movement. We’re proud to stand with her to protect Oregon’s schools and defend our values.”

“I’m grateful to have the support of the Oregon School Employees Association and proud to stand with the education workers who keep our schools strong,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “Together, we’ve made real progress, but the work isn’t done. While extreme Republicans work to undermine public education and put our students and schools at risk, I will keep fighting to strengthen our schools, support our educators, and build an Oregon where every student has the opportunity to succeed.”

Throughout her career, Governor Kotek has been a steadfast champion for Oregon’s educators, students, and working families: 

• In 2025, Governor Kotek established the Early Literacy Educator Preparation Council to support reading and writing instruction, signed legislation directing $112 million to support summer learning programs, and delivered a record $11.36 billion State School Fund to support Oregon public education.
• Governor Kotek also passed landmark legislation in 2025 making Oregon the first state to expand unemployment benefits to striking workers, championing the bill early on to ensure it passed the legislature.
• She also expanded apprenticeship opportunities, signed legislation to strengthen enforcement of Oregon’s public employee labor protections to hold repeat violators accountable and protect workers’ rights on the job, and increased the Oregon Opportunity Grant by $100 million, opening the door to higher education for thousands of Oregonians.
• Governor Kotek convened the Early Childhood Care and Learning System Roundtable to develop a blueprint for an Oregon where every family can access and afford high-quality childcare and preschool and created the Early Learning and Care Infrastructure Fund that has committed $50 million to increase access to affordable childcare and help keep childcare providers in business.
• Governor Kotek oversaw the implementation of Oregon’s landmark paid family and medical leave law after championing its passage as Speaker. As of March 2025, Paid Leave Oregon had paid out over $1 billion in benefits to more than 150,000 Oregonians.
• As Speaker, Governor Kotek championed the landmark Student Success Act, implemented paid sick leave, created the nation’s first state-run retirement savings program for workers, and passed legislation to raise the minimum wage across Oregon.

OSEA joins a growing coalition supporting Governor Kotek’s reelection bid alongside the Oregon Labor Federation, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Building Trades, North Coast Carpenters Union, The Mother PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Alliance for a Safe Oregon Action, and more.

ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK

Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.

Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.

PORTLAND, OR – Governor Tina Kotek released the below statement in response to news reports that the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to uphold President Donald Trump’s efforts to severely restrict mail-in voting, undermining American democracy and disenfranchising Oregon voters:

“President Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting threaten to silence working people, undermine states’ rights, and threaten the foundation of our democracy. The Supreme Court must stand firm and uphold the Constitution – and not give in to Trump’s long-debunked lies and conspiracy theories. 

“Oregonians have voted by mail for over 25 years, and our electoral system is one of the most secure, effective, and accessible in the nation. Just like we stopped President Trump’s attempts to abuse control of the Oregon National Guard and cut food assistance for working families, we won’t back down from defending our democracy and the proven system Oregonians trust to make their voices heard.”