Stump Talk Podcast

We’re back with a bonus episode that takes you inside City Hall, where a brand-new government is finding its footing.

Joining us are The Oregonian’s Shane Kavanaugh and Willamette Week’s Sophie Peel, who discuss the “first day of school” vibes at City Hall, Mayor Wilson’s seemingly unflappable optimism, and a council that must balance big promises with one of the toughest budget cycles in decades.

Stump Talk is hosted by Maja Harris of Rose City Reform. The show is edited and produced by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions.

On January 2, Portland’s newly elected city council gathered for a highly anticipated vote: selecting the council president.

Many had expected that leader to be Candace Avalos, a former charter commissioner and a key architect of Portland’s new system. Yet, after nine rounds of voting, Avalos narrowly lost to Elana Pirtle-Guiney.

In Episode 10 of Stump Talk, Avalos and her District 1 colleague Jamie Dunphy, who supported her for the role, reflect on the vote and what was at stake.

Stump Talk is hosted by Maja Viklands Harris. The show is edited and produced by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions.

Much has been said about how Portland’s new electoral system encouraged friendlier, more collaborative campaigning.

Few candidates, however, worked as closely together as Tiffany Koyama Lane and Angelita Morillo. Were they Portland’s first example of a successful candidate slate?

Tune in to Episode 9 of Stump Talk and decide for yourself.

Councilor-Elect Tiffany Koyama Lane is a public school teacher and an organizer for the Portland Association of Teachers. Angelita Morillo is an anti-hunger advocate who runs a popular political TikTok channel. They have both been elected to serve Portland's third council district.

In this episode, they discuss their progressive platforms, their campaign strategy, and their fundraising—which broke records for Portland's public campaign financing program.

Stump Talk is edited and produced by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions.

Did the landmark 2024 election deliver the change Portlanders were looking for? What were the big surprises? And does Keith Wilson’s win signal a mandate for his shelter plan?

These are just a few of the topics we dive into on the latest episode of the Stump Talk podcast.

That’s a wrap, Portlanders! Our historic 2024 election has concluded, and a new city government is set to take shape—well, almost. As of this morning, two city races remain too close to call. Here’s the projected lineup, with pending results marked by an asterisk:

Mayor: Keith Wilson

District 1: Candace Avalos, Loretta Smith, and Jamie Dunphy*

District 2: Dan Ryan, Elana Pirtle-Guiney, and Sameer Kanal

District 3: Steve Novick, Tiffany Koyama Lane, and Angelita Morillo

District 4: Olivia Clark, Mitch Green, and Eric Zimmerman*

In the coming months, we’ll bring you plenty of commentary and analysis on the election results. This episode offers first reactions—and fair warning: my dorky enthusiasm for digging into these results is on full display here. I promise to play it cooler next time.

There’s so much to unpack, and we’re just getting started. In the meantime, if you want learn more about Mayor-Elect Keith Wilson, check out Stump Talk Episode 5.

As always, Stump Talk wouldn’t be possible without Jon Garcia of Lake Productions.

What’s Carmen Rubio’s vision for a safe and affordable Portland? Why does she believe she’s the only mayoral candidate with the experience to forge the deals needed to tackle Portland’s toughest challenges?

Those are just some of the topics we discuss in the latest episode of the Stump Talk podcast.

Carmen Rubio made history in 2021, as the first Latina elected to Portland City Council. As commissioner, she’s most known for overseeing the Housing Bureau, the Planning and Sustainability Bureau, the Bureau of Development Services, and Prosper Portland.

Rubio’s resume includes serving as the Executive Director of the non-profit Latino Network and as a staffer to Multnomah County Commissioner Serena Cruz, Portland Mayor Tom Potter, and Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish. She is a 2009 graduate of Emerge, a Portland-based candidate training school for Democratic women.

For more information about Carmen Rubio and other candidates running for city office, check out our nonpartisan website RoseCityReform.org.

Stump Talk is produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions.

How does Rene Gonzalez plan to become the strictest mayor on the West Coast in terms of enforcing public camping and drug use laws? And what’s his plan for keeping Portland “healthy, beautiful, and safe”?

These are just some of the topics we’ll cover with the city commissioner in Episode 6 of the Stump Talk podcast.

Elected to Portland City Council in 2022, Rene Gonzalez is currently serving his first term. Until recently, he oversaw the Portland Fire Bureau, the Bureau of Emergency Communications, and the Bureau of Emergency Management.

A business attorney by profession, Gonzalez is the founder of a law firm and a technology consulting company. He played a leadership role in establishing Oregon’s largest soccer club, United PDX, and was a key organizer for ED300, a political action committee focused on reopening schools during the pandemic.

For more information about Rene Gonzalez and other candidates running for city office, check out our nonpartisan website RoseCityReform.org.

Stump Talk is produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions.

How does Keith Wilson plan to get Portlanders off the streets and into shelters? How will his business background influence his approach to managing Portland’s budget?

Those are just some of the topics we discuss in the latest episode of the Stump Talk podcast.

Keith Wilson is the President of Titan Freight Systems, a regional transportation company. He is also the founder of Shelter Portland, a network of homeless shelters, and the Homeless Court Program of Multnomah County, which removes fines and warrants for people experiencing homelessness after completing a rehabilitation program.

Details about Keith Wilson’s plan to end unsheltered homelessness, including budget documents, can be found at ShelterPortland.org.

For more information about Keith Wilson and other candidates running for city office, check out our nonpartisan website RoseCityReform.org. You can find our conversations with two other mayoral candidates in Episodes 6 and 7.

Stump Talk is produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions.

Over a decade ago, Nathan Vasquez did one of the toughest things required by his job at the Multnomah County DA’s office: he called the grieving family of a gun violence victim. The person who answered was the victim’s brother, Vince Jones-Dixon.

Today, both men have been elected to serve Multnomah County.

In this episode, we’ll learn about the unexpected bond between these two officeholders, dating back to 2013 when Vince Jones-Dixon’s brother was shot and killed—a loss that ultimately inspired him to seek public office.

We’ll hear their visions for improving public safety in Multnomah County and their ideas for repairing the often-fraught relationship between the county and the city of Portland. Vasquez will discuss why he believes county and city leaders need to have “hard conversations,” while Jones-Dixon will explain why he thinks both victims and offenders need a voice in criminal justice reform.

They’ll share their endorsements in Portland’s city election and offer reflections on their own primary election races, which in Vasquez’s case got particularly heated.

Last but not least, after recording this episode, Jones-Dixon shared an audio clip of his mother speaking about the loss of his brother. Listen to the powerful clip here.

Stump Talk is produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions.

Stump Talk Episode 3: "Leaders Who Can Walk and Chew Gum at the Same Time"

Can labor and business agree on who should be our new city leaders? Why do voters need “validators” to vet candidates? What drives political interest groups to spend money on key races?

The answers may surprise you. Welcome to the latest episode of Stump Talk.

In this episode, we’re joined by Laurie Wimmer, Executive Secretary/Treasurer of the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, and Doug Moore, Executive Director of the business group United for Portland.

We dig into what makes a good leader, dispel the myth that business and labor are always on opposing political sides, and get their take on why you can’t take money out of politics—and what they think should be done about it. Our guests also offer their thoughts on Portland’s new electoral system, share their optimism about the record-breaking candidate pool, and explain why a candidate with all the wrong answers can still earn their respect.

Curious about their picks for City Hall? Learn about the Northwest Oregon Labor Council's endorsed candidates here. United for Portland’s list can be found here.

The groups align on six council candidates: Elana Pirtle-Guiney (D2), Dan Ryan (D2), Steve Novick (D3), Olivia Clark (D4), Tony Morse (D4), and Eric Zimmerman (D4). In this episode, they’ll touch on why.

To explore other candidates endorsed by labor, business, and a wide range of interest groups and elected leaders, head to Rose City Reform’s candidate tracker.

Many thanks to our guests for taking the time, and to Emily Medress for contributing to this podcast. Stump Talk is produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions.

Are candidates making promises they can’t keep? Who represents the status quo in Portland politics? What’s the “fed-up caucus?” And why is “summer camp” over for council candidates?

These are just some of the issues we discuss in the latest episode of Stump Talk. Our guests are Alex Zielinski, City Hall reporter for OPB, and Nathan Williams, the filmmaker behind The Experiment, a documentary following Portland’s historic 2024 election.

To follow Alex Zielinski’s election coverage, visit OPB.org or listen to the OPB Politics Now podcast. To learn more about Nathan Williams’ documentary, visit People’s Town Hall or follow the film on Instagram.

Stump Talk is produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. Emily Medress also contributed to this podcast.

Thanks for listening!