7 signs Kotek may be slipping

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Being that the Oregon governor’s race is so critical, we will not lose any opportunity to spot problems with our incumbent.

#1. Lax fundraising. Kotek raised less money this year than two of her opponents, Senator Christine Drazan and Chris Dudley.  The $900,000 she raised in 2026 is still healthy, but not what you would expect for an incumbent in a blue state fighting to keep her job.

#2. Low approval.  The latest YouGov poll of the nation’s 50 governors has placed her among the bottom six for approval.

#3. Mini-speeches: Governor Kotek’s speech before a massive audience of 30,000 marchers was only a little more than three minutes long based on the transcript.   This shows she is lacking energy and ambition and is just going through the motions.

#4. Staff turnover. Three of Governor Kotek’s top aides announced this spring that they will be leaving all at once.

#5. Low endorsement enthusiasm. Both the largest teachers’ union and the Working Families Party have declined to endorse her.

#6. Rare public appearance. Governor Kotek was not very present during the Legislative Short Session and has not done many public events on the recent campaign trail.  Kotek boasted that she did 100 meetings during her two week trip to Asia, but since she has been home her media schedule has appeared to be small and rare.

#7. Not much involved in 2026 Legislative short session.  As with all Legislative Sessions, Governor Kotek has been often absent.  Kotek tried to address the data center quagmire by offering to double the credits, which was the exact opposite of what both Democrat and Republican lawmakers were thinking.

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