Oregon governor’s race

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Promotes targeted relief and worker support

Kotek highlights her legislative record raising the minimum wage, establishing paid family and medical leave, and protecting worker rights. As governor, she has called for a three-year tax reduction and focused state purchasing power on domestic manufacturing and job creation.

• Raised Oregon's minimum wage and enacted paid family and medical leave
• Guaranteed earned sick leave and strengthened equal pay legislation
• Called for a three-year tax reduction during her gubernatorial term
• Signed Senate Bill 4 to provide state grants and loans supporting CHIPS Act semiconductor manufacturing

“Tina led the charge to pass some of the nation’s strongest protections and advancements for workers, including raising the minimum wage for tens of thousands of Oregonians”

“Governor Kotek has spent her first term tackling our biggest challenges head-on: Fighting to help Oregonians dealing with the cost of living, reducing homelessness, improving our schools, and so much more.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Promises tax relief and deregulation

Drazan argues that out-of-touch Salem politicians created an affordability crisis through excessive taxes, fees, and state regulations. She promises a Day One Affordability Executive Order, tax cuts, Corporate Activity Tax (CAT) reform, protection for the state Kicker refund, and property tax relief for seniors and veterans.

• Issue a Day One Affordability Executive Order directing agencies to review regulations increasing consumer costs
• Veto new tax and fee increases and protect the state Kicker refund
• Reform the Corporate Activity Tax (CAT) to reduce indirect consumer costs
• Increase Oregon's standard deduction and provide property tax relief for seniors over 65 and veterans
• Repeal the Climate Protection Program executive order and cap-and-trade regulations

“As Governor, Christine Drazan will put affordability at the center of every decision her administration makes.”

“Inflation is a tax on working families. Here in Oregon, it is being compounded by a regulatory and tax environment that has led to additional price increases for many of the goods and services Oregonians rely on every day.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Declared emergency, expanding shelter and treatment

Kotek treats homelessness and behavioral health as linked humanitarian emergencies requiring major state funding. Upon taking office, she declared a state of emergency on homelessness, established Project Turnkey to convert motels into shelters, and secured hundreds of millions for mental health and addiction recovery services.

• Declared a statewide state of emergency on homelessness upon taking office as Governor
• Secured $75 million for Project Turnkey, creating 19 shelters and increasing state shelter supply by 20%
• Championed $1.5 billion in targeted housing and emergency shelter investments
• Invested nearly $500 million to expand mental health care and behavioral health capacity statewide
• Set a goal to end unsheltered homelessness for veterans, families, youth, and seniors by 2025

“Houselessness is a humanitarian crisis in our own backyards. Everyone has the right to live somewhere in security, peace and dignity.”

“Tina championed the effort to invest nearly $500 million to expand access to mental health care and strengthen capacity in Oregon’s behavioral health system statewide”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Favors audits, law enforcement, and treatment focus

Drazan criticizes current state homeless spending as accountable for few results while enabling public drug addiction. She pledges to audit all homeless and addiction expenditures, declare a state of emergency on addiction, end taxpayer funding for harm-reduction paraphernalia, increase drug-trafficker penalties, and clear public encampments.

• Fully audit all homeless services and state addiction spending for results
• Declare a state of emergency on Oregon's addiction and mental health crises
• End taxpayer funding for programs that enable addiction, shifting resources to recovery and long-term sobriety
• Fully fund law enforcement and support local jurisdictions in cleaning up public encampments
• Increase criminal penalties for drug traffickers

“Success will be measured not by how much government spends on drug paraphernalia and low-barrier shelter beds, but by how many people move from homelessness into recovery, treatment and permanent stability.”

“When people commit criminal behavior, I will ensure they are prosecuted instead of given a pass. We cannot continue to enable this any longer.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Drives state-led production targets and land-use reform

Kotek has made housing production a focal point of her career, authoring HB 2001 to end single-family-only zoning in larger cities and setting a gubernatorial goal of 36,000 new units annually. She has loosened state land-use policies and enacted tenant protections to cap rent increases.

• Authored HB 2001 as Speaker to allow duplexes and middle housing in single-family zones for cities over 10,000
• Established a state gubernatorial goal of constructing 36,000 new housing units per year
• Loosened state land-use rules to streamline housing development
• Enacted tenant protection laws establishing eviction standards and capping rent increases
• Targeted a 20% reduction in the racial homeownership gap by 2027

“We all know we have a housing crisis. We need multiple tools. One of them is to smooth and encourage additional construction.”

“As governor, Kotek declared a state of emergency in Oregon due to homelessness and established a goal of building 36,000 new housing units a year.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Supports deregulation and permitting reform

Drazan argues state red tape, bureaucratic delays, and high taxes make housing unnecessarily expensive to build. She proposes a 120-day maximum decision period for housing permits, creating a Housing Permit Command Center, expanding down payment assistance, standardizing ADU approvals, and reforming construction defect litigation.

• Establish a 120-day maximum decision period for qualifying housing projects
• Create a Housing Permit Command Center to accelerate permitting across agencies
• Expand down payment assistance and tax credits for first-time homebuyers
• Standardize approvals for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured, modular, and tiny homes
• Pursue construction defect litigation reform to incentivize entry-level housing construction
• Make unused state land available for affordable housing while protecting farmland

“Christine Drazan believes Oregon must make it faster, simpler and less expensive to build homes while maintaining clear safety and environmental standards and protecting Oregon's working farmland.”

“increasing the supply of homes is the most effective way to bring down the cost of housing for Oregon families.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Funded K-12 and expanded pre-K access

Kotek emphasizes her role in enacting the Student Success Act, which provides $1 billion annually in new K-12 public school funding. Her platform targets a 90% high school graduation rate by 2027, expanded pre-K access, reduced standardized testing, and increased funding for special education and diverse teachers.

• Negotiated the Student Success Act providing $1 billion in annual funding for preK-12 schools
• Secured $250 million for summer learning and child care recovery
• Set a priority to reach a 90% graduation rate across all student groups by 2027
• Eliminated tuition at community colleges for high school students and expanded aid for Dreamers
• Expand pre-K access and streamline rules for home-based child care providers

“Tina negotiated Oregon’s historic Student Success Act, providing $1 billion more every year in new funding for preK-12 education.”

“Improve Oregon’s graduation rates to 90% for all student groups by 2027.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Demands restored graduation standards and school choice

Drazan criticizes state education leadership for lowering academic expectations and removing basic proficiency requirements. She pledges to reinstate high school graduation requirements in math, reading, and writing, mandate 3rd-grade reading proficiency before promotion, expand school choice, and protect parental rights regarding school curricula.

• Reinstate high school graduation requirements in reading, writing, and mathematics
• Mandate reading proficiency by third grade before advancing students to end social promotion
• Expand school choice and opt Oregon into a Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program
• Grant teachers authority to remove persistently disruptive students from classrooms
• Transition Oregon to a school day-based system with statewide standards
• Protect parental rights through curriculum transparency and opt-out choices

“I will restore the graduation requirements that Kate Brown eliminated and ensure that our kids know how to read, write, and do math before they enter the real world.”

“As Governor, Christine Drazan will restore high expectations, empower teachers, expand educational opportunities and put students–not politics or bureaucracy–at the center of Oregon's public education system.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Enacted 100% clean electricity and clean fuels

Kotek advocates for aggressive climate legislation to transition Oregon off fossil fuels. She passed nation-leading mandates putting Oregon on a track for 100% clean electricity by 2040 and phasing out coal power by 2030, while banning offshore drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

• Passed legislation committing Oregon to 100% clean electricity by 2040 with $50 million for community renewables
• Enacted a law to completely phase out coal-fired power by 2030
• Defended the Clean Fuels Program targeting a 25% carbon intensity reduction by 2035
• Banned offshore drilling and instituted a statewide moratorium on hydraulic fracturing
• Plan to transition commercial buildings and homes away from fossil fuels like methane gas

“Tina put Oregon on a path to 100% clean electricity by 2040, including a $50 million investment to jumpstart wind, solar and other community renewable energy projects that will create jobs in Oregon.”

“Oregon’s economy and the health of our communities require ongoing bold action to match the scale of this crisis.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Opposes executive climate schemes and cap-and-trade

Drazan opposes executive climate mandates, promising to repeal the Climate Protection Program and cap-and-trade rules on her first day in office. She advocates for technology-neutral energy development that prioritizes grid reliability and lowest consumer cost, alongside active forest management.

• Repeal the Climate Protection Program executive order and cap-and-trade rules on day one
• Protect existing energy generation and support technology-neutral energy development
• Appoint utility commissioners focused on grid reliability and lowest-cost power
• Revitalize the timber economy through improved forest management and sustainable timber harvests on public lands
• Utilize forest byproducts for combined heat and energy generation

“I will repeal Governor Brown’s climate scheme on my first day in office.”

“Repeal Tina Kotek’s costly Climate Protection Program executive order that has imposed heavy financial burdens on working families, driven up utility and gas prices and threatened jobs.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Combines police resources with community violence prevention

Kotek combines police staffing increases with criminal justice reforms and community violence prevention programs. As governor, she called for increasing police officer headcount in Portland while funding evidence-based violence intervention programs and non-police mental health crisis responders.

• Called for increasing police officer staffing levels in Portland as Governor
• Championed justice system reforms to reduce racial profiling and enhance officer accountability
• Invested state resources into evidence-based community violence prevention programs
• Expanded mobile trained specialists for mental health crisis response calls

“Tina championed responsible justice system reforms to reduce racial profiling, improve training and accountability of public safety officers, and invest in communities of color to improve community safety.”

“All of us want to feel safe in our homes and in our communities.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Supports police funding and strict law enforcement

Drazan emphasizes restoring strong police support and strictly prosecuting criminal behavior to combat rising violent crime. She promises to fully fund state troopers, assist local law enforcement in clearing public spaces, and reject decriminalization policies.

• Increase state funding for Oregon State Police state troopers
• Support local police and allow jurisdictions to clean up public spaces
• Prosecute criminal behavior strictly rather than offering diversion passes
• Increase criminal penalties for drug traffickers

“Under my administration, the days of treating police like criminals and criminals like victims will end.”

“We need fewer needles and more cops to restore safe communities.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Enacted gun safety laws and red flag rules

Kotek has consistently led legislative efforts to enact gun control measures in Oregon. She passed laws requiring safe firearm storage, closing background check loopholes, expanding red flag protection orders, and permitting school districts to ban concealed weapons on campuses.

• Passed mandatory safe firearm storage requirements
• Closed background check loopholes on private and gun show firearm transfers
• Created Extreme Risk Protection Orders (red flag laws) allowing judges to temporarily confiscate firearms
• Allowed universities and school districts to ban concealed firearm carry on campuses
• Proposes raising the purchasing age for semi-automatic rifles to 21 and banning ghost guns

“Tina led the way on groundbreaking gun safety legislation to reduce the risk of accidental shooting deaths and suicide by requiring guns to be stored safely and securely.”

“Increase the age to purchase semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 because these are weapons of war that should not be sold to teenagers.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Opposes gun restrictions; NRA 'A' rated

Drazan is an outspoken defender of Second Amendment rights, earning an A rating from the National Rifle Association for her voting record in the Oregon House. She opposes new state restrictions on firearm ownership and self-defense rights.

• Earned an A rating from the NRA for her legislative voting record upholding gun rights
• Vows to defend Second Amendment rights against new state firearm restrictions
• Emphasizes self-defense rights rooted in rural community tradition

“During my time in the legislature, I earned an A rating from the NRA for my record of voting to uphold the Second Amendment. Under my administration, I will always stand with you in defense of your rights.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Emphasizes ethics enforcement and regulatory oversight

Kotek highlights her record of holding state government accountable, pointing to her 2015 leadership call for Gov. John Kitzhaber's resignation during an ethics scandal. Her policy focus includes tracking housing production data and denying permits to chronic environmental violators.

• Joined legislative leaders calling for Gov. John Kitzhaber's resignation in 2015 over ethics concerns
• Authorized state regulators to deny environmental permits to chronic rule violators
• Mandated state tracking and assessment of affordable housing metrics

“Held polluters accountable by allowing state regulators to refuse permits to chronic violators of environmental regulations.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Advocates for audits, records reform, and agency oversight

Drazan promises to eliminate government waste, fraud, and abuse by auditing state agencies and programs like unemployment and rental assistance. She proposes establishing an Office of Government Accountability, publishing a Cost of Government Report, and banning blanket NDAs on economic deals.

• Establish a new Office of Government Accountability to audit state service delivery
• Publish an annual Cost of Government Report detailing agency compliance fees and rule burdens
• Strengthen the Public Records Advocate to enforce timely responses to records requests
• Ban blanket nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) on government economic development deals
• Rescind executive orders that expand administrative bureaucracy

“The state has a duty to protect taxpayer dollars by aggressively investigating and prosecuting instances of fraud and using all legal means to recover stolen money.”

“Establish a new Office of Government Accountability to audit how state services are delivered, improve efficiency and identify savings to ensure government serves its core mission.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Championed abortion access and Reproductive Health Equity Act

Kotek is a prominent advocate for abortion access and reproductive healthcare, having authored Oregon's Reproductive Health Equity Act to codify abortion rights into state law. She expanded birth control coverage and guarantees Oregon remains a safe harbor for out-of-state patients.

• Led passage of the Reproductive Health Equity Act, codifying abortion rights into state law
• Guaranteed state-funded reproductive healthcare coverage regardless of income or immigration status
• Expanded legal access to a 12-month supply of birth control
• Endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Oregon

“Tina led the way to pass Oregon’s Reproductive Health Equity Act, the nation’s strongest law to protect and advance reproductive justice, ensuring equitable and affordable access to reproductive health care for all and putting the right to an abortion in state law.”

“Ensure that Oregon is a safe harbor for anyone seeking access to reproductive health care – because your zip code should never determine whether you can get the health care you need.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Pro-life record; endorsed by Oregon Right to Life

Drazan identifies as pro-life and highlights her voting record in the Oregon House supporting restrictions on abortion. She is officially endorsed by Oregon Right to Life.

• Maintained a pro-life voting record during her legislative tenure
• Endorsed by Oregon Right to Life

“I am endorsed by Oregon Right to Life and am proud of my record of standing up for life during my time in the legislature.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Promotes semiconductor investment and broadband expansion

Kotek focuses her technology policy on growing semiconductor manufacturing and closing the rural digital divide. She signed Senate Bill 4 to provide state grants and loans leveraging federal CHIPS Act dollars and advocates for expanded high-speed internet access statewide.

• Signed Senate Bill 4 directing grants and loans for semiconductor firms applying for CHIPS Act funding
• Collaborates with local and federal partners to expand rural high-speed broadband internet access

“signed Senate Bill 4, which directed the Oregon Business Development Department to develop grant and loan programs to support businesses applying for financial assistance under the CHIPS Act.”

“Collaborate with local governments and business leaders to close the technology divide, ensuring every Oregonian has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Proposes ending tax privileges and requiring local benefits

Drazan contends Oregon has become a 'Wild West' for data center development while local communities and families face heavy regulation and taxes. She proposes banning blanket NDAs, requiring community benefit agreements for wildfire and infrastructure funding, and protecting farmland from data centers.

• Protect local decision-making and shield working farmland from data center development
• Require data centers to sign Community Benefit Agreements funding local infrastructure and wildfire mitigation
• Ban blanket nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) that keep data center deals secret
• Develop a business attraction policy treating local businesses and data centers equitably

“Oregon has done more than its fair share, and we cannot continue to be the Wild West for data center development.”

“Ban blanket nondisclosure agreements that keep Oregonians in the dark about deals made behind closed doors.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Supports small farms and rural high-speed internet

Kotek addresses rural needs through infrastructure and economic investments, including technical assistance for small family farms, climate resilience programs, and expanded high-speed internet access in rural counties.

• Support community-level technical assistance for small family farms and ranches
• Expand rural high-speed internet infrastructure across Oregon
• Target career and technical education funding in rural areas

“Increase climate resiliency for communities on the frontline of extreme weather events, including protecting people who have to work outside and supporting community-level technical assistance for small family farms and ranches.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Advocates local control and timber industry support

Drazan grew up in Klamath Falls and focuses on ending 'one-size-fits-all' Portland-driven mandates in favor of local control. She advocates increasing sustainable timber harvesting on public lands, supporting agriculture, and utilizing forest byproducts for local energy.

• End one-size-fits-all Salem policies and restore local control for rural communities
• Support natural resource industries including timber, agriculture, food processing, and trucking
• Work with federal partners to increase sustainable timber production on public forestlands
• Utilize forest byproducts for combined heat and power generation

“As governor, I will end the one-size-fits-all approach to policy making, prioritize local control and restore the voices of rural Oregonians in their state government.”

“Revitalize Oregon's natural resource economy by improving forest management, working with federal partners to increase sustainable timber production”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Supported emergency pandemic relief and worker safety

Kotek supported legislative relief packages during the pandemic, focusing on protecting small businesses from tax hikes, aiding displaced workers, and funding summer learning recovery for students.

• Protected small businesses from tax hikes associated with pandemic layoffs
• Created the Oregon Cares Fund and Worker Relief Fund for financial assistance
• Protected frontline workers from retaliation for reporting unsafe working conditions

“Tina protected frontline workers from retaliation for reporting unsafe working conditions during the pandemic and championed a bipartisan solution to protect small businesses from tax hikes due to pandemic layoffs.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Opposed state executive emergency mandates

Drazan strongly opposed Governor Kate Brown's state of emergency declarations, mask mandates, and vaccine rules, advocating for personal and family decision-making over executive orders.

• Opposed state executive mask and vaccine mandates during COVID-19
• Repeatedly urged the governor to end executive state of emergency declarations
• Advocated for personal and family medical decision-making authority

“Governor Brown made the wrong decision when she chose a never-ending state of emergency and heavy-handed mandates. I opposed her mask and vaccine mandates and repeatedly urged her to repeal them.”

D Democratic Tina Kotek

Expanded Medicaid and reduced prescription drug costs

Kotek expanded Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) coverage to 100,000 adults and protected coverage for 400,000 children. She enacted laws capping insulin costs, increasing drug price transparency, requiring hospital financial assistance to prevent medical debt, and expanding telehealth.

• Expanded Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan) coverage to approximately 100,000 adult Oregonians
• Capped out-of-pocket insulin costs for diabetes patients
• Passed prescription drug price transparency legislation
• Required hospitals to establish financial assistance policies for low-income patients to reduce medical debt

“Tina closed gaps in access to health care by expanding Medicaid insurance coverage (the Oregon Health Plan) to roughly 100,000 adult Oregonians.”

“Lower the cost of insulin for Oregonians living with diabetes.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Served on House Health Care Committee

Drazan served on the House Health Care Committee during her legislative career and includes healthcare rules under her proposed Day One Affordability executive review to curb rising medical costs.

• Served as a member of the House Health Care Committee in the Oregon Legislature
• Included healthcare regulations in her proposed Day One executive review of consumer costs

“identifying rules, regulations, fees and procedures that materially increase the cost of housing, energy, food, transportation, childcare, healthcare or operating a business.”

R Republican Christine Drazan

Proposes independent redistricting and ballot harvesting bans

Drazan advocates for reform of Oregon election laws to increase integrity and confidence. She proposes a constitutional amendment creating an independent redistricting commission, banning ballot harvesting, auditing election irregularities, and prosecuting voter fraud.

• Propose a constitutional amendment establishing an independent redistricting commission
• Ban ballot harvesting in Oregon
• Direct the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute confirmed voter fraud
• Establish a permanent task force on election integrity and require audits when irregularities exist

“As governor, I will: Ban ballot harvesting. Support a constitutional amendment establishing an independent redistricting commission to put the people in charge of the process instead of partisan politicians.”