Opb Politics Now

The Oregon Legislature ended its 2020 session this week in a complete failure after Republicans walked out.

Oregon Republican legislators from both the House and Senate walked off the job this week in protest of a major climate bill.

The Oregon legislature crept closer to a vote on a controversial plan to fight climate change this week. And it crept closer to a Republican walkout. This week, we look at where things stand with cap and trade legislation -- and whether GOP lawmakers already have their bags packed.

Logging trucks circled the Oregon Capitol this week. They were the centerpiece of a big timber community protest against a major climate bill. This week, we look at the politics of timber and climate change.

Oregon Legislature’s new session starts Monday. And the threat of another Republican walkout looms large. We talk about what to look out for in the new session.

An already chaotic season in Portland city politics ratcheted way up recently when Sam Adams entered the fray. The former Portland mayor brings a deep bench of allies into the race -- and he’s got one of the city’s most liberal commissioners in his sights. On this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now, we talk about the upcoming political fight between Sam Adams and Chloe Eudaly.

This week, we talk about the AP Legislative Preview and what we can expect to see from lawmakers in the 2020 Oregon legislative session that begins February 3.

For the past year, OPB and the Northwest News Network have been documenting the rising death toll inside county jails across Oregon and Washington. In this special episode, Conrad Wilson and Austin Jenkins compile the best of their reporting and tell new stories that reveal who is dying in jail, why they’re dying and who is being held responsible.

This week brought two stunning changes to Oregon’s largest city. Police Chief Danielle Outlaw left for Philadelphia. And we reflect on Commissioner Nick Fish’s life and legacy. We examine these two seismic changes and explain what they mean for Portland politics going forward.

In this episode, we discuss the growing political fight over the plan to widen Interstate 5 through Portland’s Rose Quarter.

The race to replace U.S. Rep. Greg Walden get even more interesting this week as former gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler joined what is proving to be a crowded Republican field. On this week's episode of "OPB Politics Now," political reporters Dirk VanderHart, Jeff Mapes and Lauren Dake look at the dynamics of Walden's district, the potential field to replace him and whether Buehler has any damage to repair after his failed 2018 run for governor.

Historically, the tobacco industry has spent millions of dollars to protect itself from new regulations and tax increases. But now health care providers are pledging big money to a ballot measure that would raise the price of cigarettes in Oregon and impose the state’s first ever tax on vaping products. We look at what could be the most costly measure on your 2020 Oregon ballot.

Just five months ago, an unprecedented drama over climate change legislation shook the state Capitol. Now lawmakers are gearing up to meet again in three months — and the rush is on to avoid a similar outcome. And Oregon and Washington officials are once again in serious talks about a new Columbia River bridge on I-5. This time, they say they can get the job done.

The Portland region is headed for big fights over how it gets its water. And we’re also about to see much higher bills. This week, we dive deep into expensive problems facing Portland-area leaders — and the almost 1 million people who drink the city’s water.

Oregon’s only Republican in Congress announced he’s retiring next year. We break down Greg Walden’s announcement and talk about the battle in Washington over affirmative action.

In this special episode, we share a conversation from OPB's Think Out Loud that features four women of color who share their experiences in running for office in Oregon.

Governor Kate Brown’s job is safe for now. We can’t say the same for Ambassador Gordon Sondland. Ted Wheeler wants to be the mayor of Portland for four more years. And a bunch of people are applying to become Oregon’s next secretary of state.

Public employee unions have historically been one of the reasons Democrats enjoy a stranglehold on Oregon politics. But that might be changing. In this episode, we look at how a vote on state employee pensions is coming back to bite Democratic legislators.

National news was dominated by impeachment talk this week, but amid all the conversation about the Trump administration and Ukraine, there’s an Oregon angle. We’ll tell you how a Portland hotel owner found himself at the center of the fight.