Lori Chavez-DeRemer returned to Washington D.C. this week. The Happy Valley Republican is no longer a member of Congress, but she may soon be a member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet as the nation’ labor secretary. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we dig into Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation hearing and what made it stand out from others.  Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

The first month of the 2025 legislative session may have been overshadowed, a bit, by the flurry of federal action underway in Trump administration 2.0. But there’s plenty to dig into. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Alex Zielinski and Dirk VanderHart and Alex Zielinski discuss the first month of the session, what’s emerged and what hasn’t, and what to expect in the coming weeks. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has been consistent about her priorities since entering the governor’s mansion: housing, homelessness and healthcare. That’s left some wondering where she stands on climate and environmental issues. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart and Monica Samayoa discuss Kotek’s priorities and vision on the climate beat. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

What happens when the federal money faucet is turned off? Week two of the second Trump administration started with an effort to find out. On this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Lauren Dake, Dirk VanderHart and Bryce Dole discuss how the brief funding freeze played out in Oregon. Then, they also dive deep into the state’s growing eviction crisis and why Oregon continues to struggle to build enough housing.

What does the second Trump administration mean for the Pacific Northwest? In the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we get a sense of what people had to say in the days before the inauguration and what happens next. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts and read our full coverage about the new administration at OPB.org.  

We are only a few days away from the 2025 long legislative session kicking off in Salem. State lawmakers' paramount duty is passing the next two-year budget.  But they likely won’t stop there.  On this week’s OPB Politics Now, we will dig into how the state will fund wildfires and ease the housing crisis. Plus, will there be new taxes? How will the legislative leaders get along in this new era? We’ll discuss. Find the show wherever you get your podcasts

New year, new government. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart and Alex Zielinski discuss the fascinating start of the new era of governance in Portland City Hall. They talked about the political fault lines emerging, the personalities on the council and much more. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Keith Wilson seemed to come out of nowhere. Until earlier last year, he was a trucking company president whose one previous attempt at elected office got paltry results. Then, suddenly, he was a frontrunner in Portland’s high-stakes mayoral race, with an audacious pitch to solve the city’s most difficult issue. Now, he’s the mayor.  Given that swift turn of events, you might be asking yourself: Who is Keith Wilson? That's the topic of this week's episode of OPB Politics Now. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has just over a week left in the mayor’s office. And he’s in a reflective mood. This week on the podcast we’re letting him look back on his eight years in office, give advice to his successors, and talk about what’s next. OPB Portland city government reporter Alex Zielinski sat down with Wheeler. He spent nearly two decades in elected office – starting as Multnomah County board chair, then as state treasurer. He entered the mayor’s office in 2017, and has overseen a uniquely tumultuous period of time that included the COVID-19 pandemic, massive racial justice protests, an explosion of deadly street drugs and a spike in homelessness. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts. And if you have a question for the OPB Politics Now team as we head into 2025, shoot us an email at [email protected].