Oregon’s Democratic governor taps Republican rival to boost business climate

Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek has tasked a former Republican rival with leading efforts to shore up Oregon’s business environment.

Former Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp will serve as Kotek’s new chief prosperity officer.

Kotek created the position as part of her “Prosperity Roadmap,” which she announced in December. The initiative aims to boost Oregon’s economy and make the state more business friendly as it faces sluggish population growth, high housing costs and other faltering economic indicators.

Knopp will work with the new 16-person “Prosperity Council,” whose members Kotek announced last week, to come up with policy recommendations. He will start in his new role next week.

“To be successful, this role demands a unique set of skills — an entrepreneurial spirit, a systems thinker, and equal parts pragmatism and persistence,” Kotek said in a statement. “Tim is going to be a great part of my team, and I am grateful that he has agreed to step up and serve Oregonians.”

Knopp spent well over two decades in the state Legislature until he was barred from running for reelection in 2024 for taking part in a six-week walkout with his Republican colleagues during the 2023 legislative session. At the time, he was serving as minority leader in the Senate.

The walkout came after voters in 2022 passed Measure 113, which barred lawmakers who had 10 or more unexcused absences from running for reelection.

Since leaving the Legislature, Knopp has worked as executive vice president of the Central Oregon Builders Association, which represents more than 800 companies, and as executive director of Building Partners for Affordable Housing. He will leave those roles to join Kotek’s initiative.

“When the governor calls on you to drive prosperity for Oregonians across the state, grow the economy, and support Oregon businesses, the answer is yes,” Knopp said in a statement.