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Oregon Legislature’s racial diversity continues to grow after 2022 election
The Oregon Legislature will again have a record number of people of color next year after voters elected five Vietnamese-Americans and a second Indigenous woman. In January 2021, there were 13 people of color in the Legislature. That number will rise to 17 this year, and lawmakers celebrated the step toward greater diversity while acknowledging […]
Three of four Oregon legislative caucuses select leaders
For the first time in two decades, the Oregon Senate will have a new president. Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego and the current majority leader, on Friday won a private vote of the 17 incoming Senate Democrats. He’ll take the reins from retiring Salem Democrat Peter Courtney, who has served as Senate president since 2003 and […]
Oregon gun group sues over gun-control law as sheriffs vow not to enforce it
Oregon’s new voter-approved gun law is facing its first legal challenge as a number of county sheriffs have pledged not to enforce it. Voters earlier this month narrowly approved Measure 114, which will limit sales of some ammunition magazines and require safety training before purchasing a gun when it takes effect Dec. 8. A federal […]
Oregon Democrats skeptical of claims Schrader would have won 5th Congressional District
When Lori Chavez-DeRemer won a second congressional seat for Oregon Republicans last week, national pundits had an easy answer: Conservative Democrat Kurt Schrader would have won if he hadn’t lost his primary to a more progressive candidate. Allies of Jamie McLeod-Skinner, the progressive Democrat who defeated Schrader and fell a few thousand votes short in […]
Oregon economists expect a ‘mild’ recession beginning in 2023
After months of record revenue growth, Oregon economists now expect the state to enter a “mild” recession next summer. State economists told a legislative panel on Wednesday that economic forecasters in Oregon and around the country anticipate a recession within the next year because inflation remains higher than the Federal Reserve wants it to be, […]
State Rep. Andrea Salinas, a Democrat, wins in Oregon’s 6th Congressional District
Democratic state Rep. Andrea Salinas has won the race for Oregon’s 6th Congressional District, one of the last remaining uncalled House districts that could determine which party controls Congress. With Salinas edging out Republican supply-chain executive Mike Erickson by about 6,000 votes, the Associated Press called the race for her Monday night. Along with Republican […]
Lori Chavez-DeRemer wins Oregon’s 5th Congressional District seat
Lori Chavez-DeRemer has won Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, becoming the state’s second Republican in Congress and its first Latina. On Sunday, the Associated Press announced that the former mayor of Happy Valley had won the race against Democrat Jamie-McLeod-Skinner, an attorney and regional emergency manager from central Oregon. The call followed a Saturday night drop […]
Oregon Gov. Brown traveling to Vietnam for trade mission
Gov. Kate Brown is traveling to Vietnam for another trade mission, just weeks before she leaves office. Brown left Friday and will return Nov. 18. During her time in Vietnam, she plans to promote Oregon products. “From semiconductors to the apparel industry to wheat and produce, Vietnam is a critical trading partner for Oregon,” Brown […]
Democrat Tina Kotek is Oregon’s next governor
Democrat Tina Kotek, the former speaker of the Oregon House, has fended off Republican Christine Drazan and nonaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson and will be Oregon’s next governor. The Associated Press called the race in Kotek’s favor Thursday evening, after several counties reported of tens of thousands of outstanding ballots. Kotek’s lead over Drazan has continued […]
Democrat Val Hoyle wins in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District
The 4th Congressional District in southwestern Oregon will remain in Democratic hands. The Associated Press on Thursday evening called the race for Val Hoyle, a Democrat and the state labor commissioner. An unknown number of ballots remain to be counted, as Oregon law requires the counting of postmarked ballots that arrive within a week of […]
Democrat Tina Kotek declares victory, pledges to work on homelessness as Oregon governor
UPDATE: The AP called the race for Kotek shortly after 6 p.m. An article about that development is here. PORTLAND — A beaming Tina Kotek, hand-in-hand with her wife, skipped down a set of concrete steps lined with supporters at Portland’s waterfront Thursday morning to claim victory in the race for Oregon governor. The Associated […]
Several high-profile Oregon races remain too close to call Wednesday
This article was updated at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday following evening ballot drops. Several high-profile Oregon races remained too close to call on Wednesday, but it appeared clear Democrats will maintain their legislative majorities. As of Wednesday evening, the Associated Press had not called the race for governor or the state’s three competitive congressional districts. The […]