Oregon Voters Elect Nation’s Third Openly Gay Governor

The Oregonian reports:

Democrat Tina Kotek has won the race for Oregon governor, defeating Republican Christine Drazan. It was a hard-fought and expensive win by Democrats, who have a huge party registration advantage in Oregon but faced strong headwinds this year amid voter frustration at problems including homelessness, violent crime and lackluster delivery of government programs and services. Kotek’s win affirms just how difficult it is for a Republican candidate to win election to the state’s highest office, which Republicans last held in 1987.

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Kotek will join incumbent Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Massachusetts governor-elect Maura Healey as the nation’s third openly gay top state official.

She will succeed term-limited Democratic Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, who is openly bisexual.

Kotek was Oregon’s first openly gay and longest-serving speaker of the state House, a position she held from 2013 through 2022.