Out lesbian Tina Kotek wins election as Oregon governor

Kotek was the longest-serving House speaker in Oregon history and used her position to secure greater LGBTQ rights.

Oregonian Tina Kotek (D) has made history as one of the first out lesbian governors in the United States. Maura Healey’s victory in Massachusetts was called earlier and the two now share the trailblazing title.

Kotek was the longest-serving House speaker in Oregon history and the first to be an out lesbian. She used her position to secure greater LGBTQ rights and to help manage the state’s other environmental and societal challenges.

During her 16 years serving in the state house, Kotek helped raise Oregon’s minimum wage, enact a new business tax to raise about $1 billion annually for schools, pass new gun controls, lower carbon emissions and protect abortion access. She also criticized the state’s lack of police and ongoing delays in addressing homelessness.

Kotek has also worked as a…

Read full story, and more, from Source: Out lesbian Tina Kotek wins election as Oregon governor