OPB Politics Now

Christine Drazan’s interview with OPB

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan sat down with OPB for separate interviews in recent days. What did they have to say about the major issu

Tina Kotek’s interview with OPB

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan sat down with OPB for separate interviews in recent days. What did they have to say about the major issu

What’s defining this political moment in Central and Eastern Oregon?

 Data centers. Taxes. Law enforcement and accountability. Those are some of the top issues this election cycle for voters east of the Cascade mountains. On the latest epi

OPB Politics Now Live from Beaverton

Ballots are going out in a couple weeks. Campaigns are ramping up. Tensions are rising. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we hosted a live taping from the Patric

Half of Portland’s City Council is back on the ballot

On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Bryce Dole and Alex Zielinski talk about the upcoming Portland election and how it differs from the 2024 election. Fi

Oregon governor’s race tightens, gets national attention

The election is less than seven weeks away, and prognosticators across the nation are expecting a strong night for Democrats. It’s not clear what that might mean for Oreg

Why data centers are suddenly in the middle of Oregon governor’s race

For quite some time, Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan didn't seem to have a very strong -- or clear -- stance on how they felt about data centers in Oregon

Where vote by mail stands as Trump legal fight continues

 We are exactly two months away from election day. And there is a lot of confusion on the electoral landscape. On this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk

How one Portland woman found beauty in 'ground scores'

Becky Lange loved making use of things that others considered trash. The Portlander was an artist and civic leader who was killed earlier this year in the city's urban ce

Hunger in rural Oregon on display as SNAP cuts take effect

Oregonians are facing food insecurity just as federal cuts to the food assistance programs known as SNAP play put in realtime. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now,

Portland puts the Trail Blazers’ future in Tom Dundon’s court

Practically all year, elected officials in Oregon have been trying to solve a puzzle: How can they ensure the enigmatic new owner of the Trail Blazers doesn’t attempt to

The sudden backlash to data centers in Oregon

The nation remains captivated – or depending on your view horrified – by the artificial intelligence technology boom. And that boom wouldn’t be possible without the major

The race for the 3rd Congressional District could help determine who controls Congress

One of the most competitive U.S. House races in the country is Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. Blue-collar Democratic incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is facing

What a Green Party candidate may mean for Oregon governor’s race

Oregon’s gubernatorial race features a high-profile race rematch between Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan. Just like the 2022 race be

ICE’s building in Portland is back in the legal spotlight

A surge in enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has led to two fatal shootings by ICE agents in recent weeks. Those occurred in Texas and Maine, but Or

How Oregon will handle major Medicaid cuts

It’s been clear for a year at this point that major changes are coming to Oregon’s state sponsored health plan. Ever since President Trump signed HR1, his massive tax cut

Supreme Court rules Oregon (and others) can accept late ballots

The Supreme Court seemed on the verge of barring Oregon, Washington and other vote-by-mail states from accepting ballots that arrive after Election Day. But the court rul

Tom Dundon comes to town as Moda Center takes center stage

The Moda Center has a packed summer lineup with performances by Chance the Rapper, Benson Boone and others. The arena is no longer devoid of basketball in the summer than

Portland’s divided City Council passed another budget no one is pleased with

Portland’s elected leaders entered this budget season with a $170 million funding hole. Finally, after weeks of painstaking deliberation, they passed the city’s budget We

The messy legacy of Bob Packwood

There was an era in Oregon politics where moderate Republicans were very influential. One of them was Bob Packwood. Packwood died last week and he leaves a very messy leg