OPB Politics Now

Nick Kristof is officially out of the race for Oregon governor and will not appear on the May primary ballot as a candidate in that race. The former New York Times columnist quit his job to run for Oregon’s top job. On Thursday, the Oregon Supreme Court issued an opinion affirming Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s determination that Kristof cannot legally vie for the governorship because he does not meet the state’s three-year residency requirement. Kristof joins us to talk about what’s next for him.

Portland leaders have taken care of one big problem on their to do list: This week, they reached a labor deal with the union representing rank-and-file police officers. But Mayor Ted Wheeler’s efforts to curb public camping by people experiencing homelessness has a long way to go.
On this week’s show, Lauren Dake, Rebecca Ellis and Jonathan Levinson talk about the political of policing and homelessness.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown has high hopes for her last legislative session as the state’s chief executive. She’s asking lawmakers to pass an ambitious workforce development plan called “Future Ready Oregon” and wants to see significant investments in affordable housing as well. We hear from her about her legislative priorities and her plans for whatever comes next in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oregon lawmakers gather this week for their biennial short session. On this special episode, OPB's political team examines some of the hotter topics on their agenda for the next 35 days.

Nick Kristof says he’s been a resident of Oregon his entire life. State election officials say: No he hasn’t. Now it’s up to the Oregon Supreme Court to decide whether he can run for governor. I’m Dirk VanderHart. On this week’s “OPB Politics Now,” we’ll break down the legal arguments for and against Kristof’s candidacy. And we’ll tell you what happens next.

Oregon's longtime senate president is retiring. Peter Courtney is the longest-serving lawmaker in state history. The 78-year-old has presided over countless legislative sessions where he championed issues such as mental health parity and school funding, beseeched lawmakers to return after a dramatic walkout, and played a key role in former Governor Kitzhaber’s resignation. Now, he’s preparing for his last legislative session in office. We talk with him about his goals and his legacy.

Interstate 5 is a key part of the transportation system that moves both people and goods up and down the West Coast. But the highway has problems as it winds through Portland to Washington State. On this week's show, we'll look at the politics of transportation in Oregon and Southwest Washington -- and why fixing I-5 is as much a political debate as a planning one.

It’s been a week of seismic change in Oregon politics: House Speaker Tina Kotek and Senate President Peter Courtney both announced their departures, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nick Kristof lost his place on the ballot.
On this week’s show, OPB political reporters Dirk VanderHart and Sam Stites break down all three of those big major stories and what they mean for Oregonians.

Oregon lawmakers were back at the Capitol this week to prevent an eviction crisis. And Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty is suing the union representing city police officers. On this week’s show, we catch you up on a remarkably drama-free week in Salem and a drama-filled week in Portland.

The Oregon legislature returns to Salem next week to prevent mass evictions. On this special episode, we'll look at the problem lawmakers will try to solve and the proposed solution.