OPB Politics Now

Tensions are rising in the Oregon State Capitol as the legislative session nears the halfway mark. Republicans boycotted a floor session, a House leader resigned his post, and a Representative accused her Democratic colleague of creating a hostile working environment.  And that was all just this week. How will lawmakers manage the political drama and keep their legislative priorities on track? We’ll give you the latest on the latest episode of OPB Politics Now. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.   

The city of Portland has recently uncovered several piles of money no one knew was there. At the same time, the city is looking at a pot of money that some say should be off limits to keep the Portland Trail Blazers in town.   We are living in a time of meager public budgets. Look pretty much anywhere in Oregon these days, and you find school districts preparing cuts, state budget writers figuring out what has to go, and cities looking at tough choices. So it’s been notable in recent months to see the city of Portland stumbling over piles of money that no one knew was there. At the same time, the city is scrambling to make sure it keeps the Portland Trail Blazers in town, and to do so it’s looking at a pot of money that some say should be off limits. We are diving into the city’s bank accounts today – with a side of sports talk.  

Lawmakers wasted no time this week, considering substantive policy bills in their first week in the 35-day legislative sprint. Plus, activity escalated around the South Portland ICE building last weekend, with tear gas use from the federal officials prompting outcry and a legal response. On this week’s OPB politics now, we’ll talk about  how much money the state is expecting to have in Salem, their efforts to push back on the federal govt and the latest on the ICE building and the politics surrounding it. Find the show wherever you get your podcasts.   

Oregon lawmakers are heading back to Salem next week for the short legislative session. They have big issues to tackle this session, including immigration, transportation and a looming hole in the state budget.    Plus, the race to be the Republican candidate for Oregon’s governor is heating up. It now features two new candidates who will run in the upcoming May primary.    We’ll discuss all that and more on the latest episode of OPB politics now. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.  

President Trump’s second term hit the one-year mark this week and – surprise! – Oregonians and Southwest Washington residents have divergent takes on how things are going. On this week’s episode of the podcast, we hear about what OPB learned when our reporters fanned out to check in with people all over the region.

Portland City Council continued this week to choose a leader, before finally settling on one of its own who admitted he wanted nothing to do with the job. Meanwhile, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek is hiring a former Republican rival, who is best known for shutting down the Legislature, to be her chief prosperity officer. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we break down the week that was. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.   Promo: Portland City Council chose a new leader this week. And the new leader doesn’t really want the job.  And Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek hired a former Republican rival, who once led the state’s longest legislative walkout, to be her chief prosperity officer. I’m Lauren Dake. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we will break down the state and city politics of the week. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.  

 Last year was a tumultuous one in Oregon politics. The city of Portland had an entirely new government and mayor. The U.S. president started talking a lot about Portland and mobilized members of the National Guard to the state. And the “big beautiful bill” blew an $890-million dollar hole in Oregon’s budget. Just a few days into 2026, it appears another rocky year is in the cards. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Lauren Dake, Alex Zielinski and Dirk VanderHart discuss the major stories to come and how 2026 already began with Democratic leaders in Portland and Salem struggling to find their footing. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.   

As 2025 comes to a close, the OPB Politics Now team is taking a look at the top political stories of the year. It was a year. We saw the Trump administration return to power, Mayor Keith Wilson and a new government enter the scene in Portland, and Democratic state officials fumble and stumble through a legislative session. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now we’ll discuss the big stories of 2025 and the year ahead. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

The redrawing of political maps is perhaps one of the most intensely political acts elected officials undertake. In Central Oregon, the effort is prompting the familiar outcry of gerrymandering. On this week’s OPB Politics Now, we’re heading east of the Cascades. We’ll discuss the redrawing of the Deschutes County maps and the contaminated groundwater water in Eastern Oregon. Find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

On the latest livestream episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart and Alex Zielinski talk about two of the biggest topics in Oregon politics - the state’s handling of the overall business climate and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson’s long shot effort to end unsheltered homelessness. If you have questions please share them and we will try and answer as we go.