Before being elected to office, Kotek worked as the Policy Director of Children First for Oregon, prior to which she was a Public Policy Advocate for Oregon Food Bank. She co-chaired the Human Services Coalition of Oregon during the 2002 budget crisis and currently serves as the co-chair of the Governor’s Medicaid Advisory Committee. Kotek, a lesbian, is one of the only openly gay members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Her election campaigns have won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which provides financial and strategic assistance. In 2004, she had been an unsuccessful candidate for the 43rd House District. In 2006, she was elected to the House from the 44th District in North and Northeast Portland. She won a competitive three-way Democratic primary election with over half the vote. In the general election, she faced only nominal Republican opposition, defeating her opponent by a margin of almost four-to-one. She ran unopposed for re-election in 2008 and, as well as winning the Democratic primary in the 44th district, she also won the Republican primary through write-in votes. She therefore did not face a Republican challenger and was assured of re-election. In 2010, she faced a primary challenge but prevailed with over 85% of the vote. A Republican candidate filed for the post but Kotek won the general election with almost 81% of the vote. In June 2011 Kotek was chosen by the House Democratic Caucus as their leader. After Democrats won a majority in the House in the 2012 election, they nominated Kotek for Speaker of the House for the 2013 legislative session. Kotek was elected to the position, and then reelected in 2015. After Governor John Kitzhaber resigned in February 2015, elevating Kate Brown to the governorship, Kotek was named by The Oregonian as a possible successor to Brown as Oregon Secretary of State. Through a spokeswoman, Kotek denied interest in the job. In December 2016, Kotek became Board of Directors Chair of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. A Democrat, she serves as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, representing a district in Portland, and was elected Speakerof the House for the 2013–14, 2015-2016 and 2017 session. Kotek was the Democratic whip in the 75th Oregon Legislative Assembly, as well as co-speaker pro tempore, a position she shared with Republican Andy Olson in light of the chamber's 30–30 split during the 2011 session. She served as the Democratic House Leader during the 2012 session.
