The Liftoff: Governor Kotek makes a big endorsement
The Liftoff: Governor Kotek makes a big endorsement
PLUS: Will there be another open congressional seat?; Ted Wheeler's text messages; legislator allegedly owes $70,000; Ashland legislator wants changes to the kicker; and more!
Welcome back to The Liftoff! Happy (almost) Halloween.
We are your go-to source for all the latest Oregon political, government and election related news. We want to hear from you as we get closer to the 2024 election cycle! What content are we missing?
We also encourage all submissions to The Oregon Way! This week there is a compelling piece written by four OHSU physicians about current Medicare regulations preventing access to new obesity treatments.
1. Is Blumenauer retiring? Plus Kotek’s big endorsement (and other congressional news)
It seemed like all eyes were on Congress last week as House Republicans grappled over the next Speaker of the House. But, there was still lots of news about Oregon’s congressional delegation. Here were the big stories we were watching:
Governor Kotek endorses Rep. Janelle Bynum for Congress.
From the Oregon Capital Chronicle, “Kotek’s endorsement comes as Bynum, D-Clackamas, is locked in a heated primary for the 5th Congressional District with Jamie McLeod-Skinner, a central Oregon attorney and frequent candidate who narrowly lost to Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer last year. Metro Council President Lynn Peterson is also running.”
U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Clackamas) voted with her party Wednesday to elect a new speaker of the House of Representatives. In a written statement she said she supported Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson because he is the “consensus candidate” to lead the House.
From OPB: “Chavez-DeRemer’s vote was among the most closely watched in the House chamber….She had previously voted against Jordan, a close Trump ally, and opposed McCarthy’s removal as speaker. A spokesman for Chavez-DeRemer said Wednesday she was not available for an interview to discuss her decision.”
Could there be another open Congressional seat in Oregon? WW reported last week that Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) in recent weeks has consulted family and friends about whether to retire or stick around for another term. Bluemenauer first won election to Congress in 1996.
The names WW cites as interested in the seat? Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal and former county chair Deborah Kafoury. There are a host of legislators and other local elected officials rumored to be interested, too.
Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, and Andrea Salinas announced Monday the designation of two tech hubs coming to Oregon from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. A federal grant is also headed to Portland State University for smart battery energy storage systems, reports KTVZ.
2. Possible Portland Public School strike looms (and other Portland headlines)
As a Portland Public Schools teacher strikes looms (as early as Wednesday), The Oregonian reports that teachers from at least one Portland school are urging families to turn down an offer from the district for a Chromebook, writing in an email it would be “an easy way to show support for teachers, students and the Portland Association of Teachers community.”
The Oregonian’s editorial board weighed in on Sunday, writing that teachers should stay at the bargaining table. “Teachers do not have to strike on Nov. 1 – the two sides can find a resolution without resorting to tactics that hurt students,” writes the editorial.
The Portland metro tax to fund homeless services is expected to bring in nearly $1 billion more than previously anticipated over the next six years, reports OPB.
“A revenue forecast prepared by Metro, the regional government that oversees the supportive housing services tax, shows that the tax is expected to collect around $437 million annually by 2029.”
Bridge operators have asked Multnomah County commissioners for no more political messages or light displays on the bridges. The request comes after Multnomah County Board Chair Jessica Vega Pederson ordered Portland’s Morrison Bridge be lit blue and white to show support of Israel following Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas. Bridge operators say some light shows could make them feel unwelcome in the workplace or even become targets for political violence, reports OPB.
Willamette Week this week featured an interview with Nathan Vasquez, the veteran county prosecutor who is running to unseat his boss, District Attorney Mike Schmidt.
From the article: “Vasquez, 47, has taken Schmidt’s original campaign script and flipped it. While Schmidt promised to prosecute fewer misdemeanors to keep more people out of the criminal justice system, Vasquez says he’d do the opposite—and empower cops to amp up enforcement of low-level crimes.”
From Willamette Week: “Spurred by Downtown Business Interests, Mayor Pushes County to Address Drug Dealing Around New Homeless Day Center”
The article features texts from Mayor Ted Wheeler, including: “How on earth could people be receiving meaningful treatment in a facility that has drug dealers outside 24 seven.”
3. Sponsored Message from Harrang Long P.C.: Harrang Long’s Political Law Practice
This message is from our sponsor, Harrang Long P.C.
Now that the legislative session is over, Oregon’s activists, candidates, political committees, and ballot measure petitioners are turning their attention to the 2024 elections. Harrang Long P.C. has represented clients in the political arena for decades, handling matters that include the legal requirements of ballot measure petitions, campaign finance disclosures and regulation, political committee organization, ballot access, and election challenges.
Government regulation of political activities becomes more complicated nearly every year, and political actors increasingly initiate regulatory complaints and litigation to achieve political goals. More and more, having experienced legal counsel is critical to success in the political arena.
To learn more about how Harrang Long’s Political Law Practice, check out our website here.
4. Christine Drazan is looking for a new direction for Oregon
Former House Republican minority leader Christine Drazan rejoins the podcast over 100 episodes later to reflect on Oregon's political leadership throughout the pandemic and present her framework for rebuilding what she calls Oregon's broken systems, through an organization called A New Direction, a 501(c)4 non-profit organization dedicated to connecting Oregonians with each other to advance policies and ideas that make Oregon a safer more affordable place to live and raise a family, strengthen checks and balances, improve transparency, empower Oregonians and support the next generation.
5. Kotek appoints new agency head (and other statewide news)
Headline from the New York Times: A New Era of Psychedelics in Oregon. This NYT profile piece by PNW reporter Mike Baker features one of the first clients in Bend, Oregon to use psilocybin mushrooms.
From the article: “This summer, Oregon debuted a first-of-its-kind legal market for psilocybin mushrooms, more widely known as magic mushrooms. Far from the days of illicit consumption in basements and vans, the program allows people to embark on a therapeutic trip, purchasing mushrooms produced by a state-approved grower and consuming them in a licensed facility under the guidance of a certified facilitator.”
Some other highlights of statewide news includes:
Kotek tapped former Portland Police Chief Mike Reese to run state prisons. Reese worked in the Portland area for 30 years, beginning as a deputy in the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office before joining the Portland Police Bureau, and retiring as chief in 2015. He was elected sheriff the following year and retired in 2022. Reese had also been speculated to be a possible candidate for Portland Mayor.
According to InvestigateWest, Clatsop County is one of the most difficult places to find child care in Oregon. The county’s supply of child care is so low that it can accommodate only 8% of its infants and toddlers, a state report found in 2023.
From OPB: Sen. Jeff Golden (D-Ashland) is proposing that Oregon dedicate about 30% of the upcoming kicker to wildfire reduction and response programs. The proposal follows the passage of SB 762 in 2021, which provided more than $220 million to help the state improve wildfire preparedness. Sen. Tim Knopp was not pleased.
UFCW Local 555, which represents workers in the grocery, retail, manufacturing and healthcare industries, is trying to qualify a ballot measure to ban self-service at gas stations just months after lawmakers voted to legalize it.
Mike Selvaggio, who works for the union, implied that there was a quid pro quo relationship between the cannabis worker union bill that triggered a recall attempt on Rep. Paul Holvey and the self-serve gas bill they’re now trying to repeal.
On Tuesday, the Oregon Supreme Court announced it has accepted a legal challenge by five Republican senators who want to seek reelection despite walking away from the Legislature for six weeks this year.
6. The Way: Government policy needs to catch up with obesity treatments
7. News Roundup: Intel expands, Malheur County seeks $70k from Rep. Greg Smith, and more
Intel says it will spend billions of dollars to expand its Oregon footprint and add thousands of jobs, reports The Oregonian’s business reporter, Mike Rogoway.
From the Malheur Enterprise: “Malheur County officials are seeking nearly $70,000 from former economic development director Greg Smith’s company to recoup costs related to public records litigation.”
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed a federal lawsuit against Meta, alleging the parent company of Facebook and Instagram designed the platforms to addict children and teenagers, reports the Oregon Capital Chronicle.
From The Oregonian: “Oregon’s abysmal chronic attendance problem grew even worse last year, state reveals”
Oregon Ducks Coach Dan Lanning made major headlines for the Ducks blow out over Utah and also an impromptu speech on gun violence following the mass shooting in Maine.
Yikes headline and op-ed from the Oregon Capital Chronicle: “Lead in Portland’s drinking water called ‘worse than Flint’”
Tips? Feedback? Ideas? Corrections? Email benjaminwbowman@gmail.com or kristinaedmunson@gmail.com.
Consider becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps us grow and offer more opportunities to this community. It’s just $10 a month!
Want to advertise with us? Get in touch!
About the Authors
Ben Bowman is the state representative for Oregon House District 25 (Tigard, Metzger, and South Beaverton) and a member of the Tigard-Tualatin School Board. In his day job, he works as an administrator for a public school district. Previously, he worked as a legislative aide for former Reps. Margaret Doherty and Val Hoyle. He also co-hosts The Oregon Bridge podcast. In the newsletter and podcast, he speaks only for himself.
Alex Titus is a small business owner and consultant to businesses, nonprofits, and associations. Previously, he served as an Advisor in the Trump Administration and as a Policy Advisor to President Trump’s Super PAC. His writing has appeared in National Review, Fox News, The Hill, RealClearPolitics, and other publications.
Kristina Edmunson has been everything from press assistant for Gov. Kulongoski, media advance associate for VP Biden, and communications director for AG Rosenblum. Born and raised in Eugene, she has been involved in some of the biggest policy and legal decisions in Oregon over the last decade. Today, she runs her own communications practice, and sits on Multnomah County’s Community Involvement Community. She speaks only for herself in The Liftoff.