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 Oregon, as incumbent Gov. Tina Kotek is facing headwinds in her reelection bid. But past Oregon Democrats in the same seat saw tight polls late in the race fade away as they sailed through to election night victories. Will it be the same for Kotek, or will state Sen. Christine Drazan break the Republican drought in Salem? We discuss.

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. That changed this week. Within hours of each other, they both announced they support a data center moratorium; tapping into a debate playing out across Oregon and the nation. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart break it all down. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

 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 VanderHart and Lauren Daketalk about all the uncertainty surrounding vote by mail, what state leaders and politicians are saying and much more. Find the show wherever you get your podcasts. 

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 center. On this week's episode of OPB Politics Now, we hand the podcast over to our friends at The Evergreen. Alex Zielinski shared stories about her past reporting on Lange, her leadership in civic circles and much more.

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, we hand the podcast keys to our friends at The Evergreen. OPB politics reporter Bryce Dole went on a reporting trip with producer Mia Estrada and visual journalist Eli Imaldi. Here’s their dispatch.

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 take the team elsewhere, but not lose the public’s metaphorical shirt in the process? We now have a basic idea of what that approach looks like. This week – after a fair amount of drama – the Portland City Council finalized the terms the city will seek in exchange for funding a renovation of the Moda Center. If all goes as planned, they’ll join the state and Multnomah County in funding that roughly $600 million dollar project.

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 infrastructure that powers AI. Yes, on the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, Dirk VanderHart, Courtney Sherwood and Holly Bartholomew discuss data centers, two words everyone is hearing a lot these days. Oregon, like many places, is seeing a fast-growing backlash at these facilities, and so today we’re going to talk about the politics, policies and environmental impact of data centers.

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 a challenge from a Republican state Senator who is more mainstream than her previous political opponent. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Lauren Dake, Erik Neumann and Elena Neale-Sacks discuss the hottest races in Southwest Washington primary and what to watch in Clark County. Find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

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 between the two political rivals, at least one more person will be on the ballot, this time from the Pacific Green Party. On this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart discuss the role of third party politicians in gubernatorial races in the past two decades, what another candidate may portend about this race and much more. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

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 Oregon continues to grapple with immigration enforcement as well.

The Portland ICE building that was a focal point of protests much of last year is back in the news, as lawsuits and land-use cases surrounding the property come to a head. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart, Alex Zielinski and Conrad Wilson discuss the latest on this lingering fight here in South Portland just up the road from OPB headquarters. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.