PAMPLIN MEDIA GROUP - Speaker of the House Tina Kotek

Gov. Kate Brown won election for the first time in November after her unexpected rise to the state’s highest office in February 2015 in the wake of Gov. John Kitzhaber’s resignation.

As governor-elect, Brown is expected to complete the last two years of Kitzhaber’s term; then she’ll need to seek reelection in 2018 to remain in office.

During her short time in office, Brown has been criticized for failing to show leadership on some of the most critical issues facing the state, namely a corporate sales tax measure that was proposed on the November ballot. Voters defeated Measure 97, which Brown endorsed, leaving the state with a $1.7 billion revenue shortfall.

In the next year, Brown may face tough decisions about whether to modify benefits from the Public Employees Retirement System, make cuts or and push for a revenue package that is significantly more modest than Measure 97.

If she defies public unions’ wishes anywhere along the line, she could face backlash from her public labor base. Some sources have suggested that House Speaker Tina Kotek, a Democrat from Portland, could challenge Brown in such a scenario. Like Brown, Kotek enjoys significant support from public unions. She also showed decisiveness when Brown didn’t . For instance, she came out months earlier than Brown to support Measure 97.