The Liftoff: State and local controversies, short session previews, and Gov. race straw poll
PLUS: Merkley in the national spotlight; the latest on ballot measures; and a key state agency leader is hospitalized
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1. Pulliam wins straw poll; lines drawn in Kristof Supreme Court battle; Johnson raises more cash
Meet the non-frontrunner candidates for Governor (buckle up, there’s a lot).
Mayor Stan Pulliam wins The Oregon Catalyst Straw Poll for the third time this cycle. Mayor Kerry McQuisten, who came in second, said she is “gaining ground”. All other candidates received fewer than 7%. This was a non-representative, unscientific internet poll; at least one candidate (Pulliam) was paying for social media advertisements to promote participation in the poll.
Tina Kotek had a big week, earning the coveted endorsement of Pro-Choice Oregon PAC.
Treasurer Tobias Read wrote an op-ed implying that Kotek was partially responsible for Intel investing $20 billion in Ohio rather than Oregon.
Betsy Johnson reported another huge fundraising week, including a $125,000 contribution from Schnitzer Properties. Her cash-on-hand total is over $3 million.
Kristof in Politico: Brent Walth is a legendary Oregon journalist. He wrote arguably the best book on Oregon politics, Fire at Eden’s Gate (the definitive biography of Tom McCall), and last week he came out with a story in Politico on Nick Kristof and the residency question.
Reps. Andrea Valderrama, Wlnsvey Campos, and leaders from several racial justice organizations have filed a legal brief arguing that Nick Kristof should not be allowed on the ballot. Meanwhile, several prominent Oregonians, including two former secretaries of state and a former head of the ACLU of Oregon, filed briefs that bolster Kristof’s argument.
An interesting twist in the Nick Kristof Supreme Court case: two former Supreme Court justices will be “filling in” for the case. In the words of Nigel Jaquiss, this means: “The state’s highest court will, in Kristof’s case, interpret what the Oregon Constitution requires of candidates while itself only loosely obeying the constitution,” which requires justices to be elected.
Alsea School District Superintendent Marc Thielman, who is running as a Republican for governor, has announced his district will no longer require students to wear masks, in defiance of state requirements. The Oregon Department of Education will now withhold funding and Thielman could face revocation of his administrative license.
2. Nosse previews short session; Nelson is newest legislator
First, the Senate President Peter Courtney exit interview you need to read: An excerpt of his response on what it’s like to be Senate President the last few years: “Yeah, it’s been hell. But you know what? I asked for the job. And life is hell and then you die…I don’t believe in happiness and all that…And it’s been very bad, very hard and very lonely.”
Rep. Rob Nosse, the recently-elected House Majority Whip, penned an excellent preview of upcoming short legislative session over at The Oregon Way. He ends with this thought: “Whether we address any of these issues depends on whether our Republican colleagues remain in the building.”
The Oregonian has a session preview, too, including this lede: “Oregon lawmakers will return to Salem next week and are looking at another session of huge spending, fueled by robust state revenue forecasts and unspent federal stimulus”
Reporting from The Oregonian has spurred interest in protecting Lake Abert
Travis Nelson, a nurse from North Portland, has been selected by the Multnomah County Commission to complete Tina Kotek’s term in the state house. He defeated three other finalists selected by Democratic PCPs: Eric Delehoy, former PPS Board Member Rita Moore, and Marc Koller.
Is self-serve gas pumping coming to Oregon?! A bipartisan group of legislators hope so.
Aeric Estep is running in House District 37 against State Rep. Rachel Prusak.
Does it spark joy?: Ever wondered how legislators decorate their desks? The Salem Reporter has you covered (with photos).
Enjoy this profile of former legislator (and current school board member!) Arnie Roblan for School Board Appreciation Month.
3. Merkley gets national profile; new endorsements in congressional races
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley was the focus of a national profile in Politico called: “Meet the mild-mannered progressive who’s breaking the filibuster”—in it, there are a bunch of interesting tidbits, including:
After bowing out of the 2020 presidential race, Merkley has fashioned himself as the “filibuster specialist” of the senate, according to the article; he even briefed the White House chief of staff, helping make the case for President Joe Biden to endorse a talking filibuster (he did)
He will support chipping away the filibuster even when Republicans are in charge (he is not advocating for a full elimination)
He has “absolutely no interest” in the conversations of primarying Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema
Sen. Ron Wyden on Merkley’s filibuster-related work: “He’s just living on peanut sandwiches and working around the clock”
In other congressional news, the influential League of Conservation Voters Action Fund has endorsed Rep. Andrea Salinas for the 6th Congressional District. Intel engineer Matt West, who is also running in the Democratic primary, was featured in a profile in Pamplin.
In CD5: UFC #555, the largest private-sector labor union in Oregon, endorsed Jamie McLeod Skinner in her primary race against Congressman Kurt Schrader.
4. Local gov.: Controversies at the counties
County Controversies: Conservative Yamhill County Commissioner Mary Starrett had threatened to withhold support for accreditation of her own health department if they didn’t change the information on their website regarding vaccines and masks (“I don’t want to be an accomplice to this lie, that vaccines and masks will keep you healthy,” she said). At the meeting, Starrett backed down and voted to endorse accreditation.
Meanwhile, Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington is being criticized by former allies, according to a KOIN investigation.
Candidates for Multnomah County Chair were asked to grade current Chair Deb Kafoury on homelessness.
Metro Council President Lynn Peterson says the homelessness situation in Portland will look better within six months; she also criticized People for Portland for increasing cynicism and mistrust, undermining the local and regional governments.
Mind-blowing headline from OPB: “Omicron may infect half of Multnomah County residents by next month”
The City of Portland will pay $250,000 in a public records settlement; mayor and commissioners pledge to seek local and state policy changes.
5. Ballot measures updates: Sex work, liquor, ranked choice voting, and corporate taxes
Is ranked-choice voting coming to state elections in Oregon? Maybe.
It appears the campaign to legalize sex work in Oregon at the ballot box will not move forward at this time.
Buckle up for a big ballot measure fight over whether Oregon should privatize liquor sales.
Read about a corporate tax proposal that would generate $3 billion, and then distribute checks directly to Oregonians. Organizers are trying to get it on the 2022 ballot.
Ballot measure campaigns across the spectrum are concerned about being undermined by COVID; some petition gatherers are being paid $40 an hour.
The ballot measure to prohibit legislative walkouts gets a boost.
6. State Agency News: OHA Director hospitalized; court upholds BOLI ruling on wedding cake
OHA heard more testimony arguing against making the mask mandate “permanent”. Ultimately, the indoor mask requirement for schools was extended.
Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen was hospitalized after a serious fall, but he is now back home recovering.
The Oregon Court of Appeals upheld for a second time the Bureau of Labor and Industry’s (BOLI) decision finding the bakery “Sweet Cakes by Melissa” discriminated against an LGBTQ+ couple; however, BOLI may be required to lower the amount of the fine.
Governor Kate Brown ordered a review of the Department of Corrections after her plan for early commutations was released early (i.e. leaked).
7. Politico Reporter Natalie Fertig joins The Bridge to talk federal cannabis issues, Oregon’s illegal marijuana problem, and getting shot at
Natalie Fertig is the National Cannabis Policy Reporter for Politico. Fertig, who grew up in Washington State and attended Portland State University, wrote a riveting, terrifying article titled "‘Talk About Clusterf---’: Why Legal Weed Didn’t Kill Oregon’s Black Market" that exposes a serious problem in Southern Oregon: cartel-control marijuana grows and a law enforcement/regulatory infrastructure not equipped to respond.
When Fertig visited, she heard gun shots (that were likely warning her and her guide to stay away) and gathered stories from residents who have been victims of intimidation. In this episode, we talk about the arch of marijuana policy in Oregon and how the federal landscape and political environment has changed since Oregon's legalization in 2014. We talk about the economics of illegal marijuana grows and the tools that law enforcement and state regulators do and do not have to fight back against the cartels.
8. The most important issues to Oregonians by age cohort
Thanks to our friends at the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center for this graphic displaying their research on the top five issues Oregonians want their leaders to act on, broken down by age cohort priorities.
9. News Roundup
Former GOP state representative Dr. Knute Buehler made an appearance on KOIN to talk about the future of the GOP and Oregon politics.
Meth and fentanyl overdoses are skyrocketing in Oregon
Study calls for policy change and investments to support superintendents of color
A University of Oregon graduate created Wordle, now an international sensation.
Dr. Robin Holmes is taking over as President of Lewis and Clark University. Holmes is the first black woman president in the school’s history.
Portland youth climate strikers get a national write up from Bloomberg
Thank you for reading.
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