The Liftoff: Which candidate for Gov. has the best logo?
PLUS: Lots of campaign announcements, Wyden comes for the billionaires, Kristof officially announces, Schrader vs. everybody, "Here is Oregon" launches, and what workers actually want.
Welcome back! Enjoy this week’s installment of The Liftoff!
1. Kristof is in; Gov’s race heats up
Last week, Nick Kristof made it official: he’s running. In his announcement video (above), he leans into his “outsider” status and indirectly goes after his chief rivals, Speaker Tina Kotek and Treasurer Tobias Read: “Nothing will change until we stop moving politicians up the career ladder year after year, even though they refuse to step up to the problems Oregon faces.” Kristof reported raising over $100,000 in the first 24 hours.
Kotek had a big week, too. She was invited by the White House to join a panel about solutions to America’s housing crisis (she was a chief architect of a 2019 bill that effectively ended single-family zoning in Oregon). She was also endorsed by the Basic Rights Oregon Equality PAC, the political arm of the state’s most influential LGBTQ+ organization. She has about $319,000 in her campaign account.
Read also made headlines this week, like this one from Willamette Week: “Gubernatorial Candidate Tobias Read, the State’s Treasurer, Criticizes Legislature, Governor on Rent Relief”. Read reports about $276,000 in his PAC.
On the GOP side, a forum held in Bend by the Deschutes County Republicans included: Bridget Barton, Brandon Merritt, Marc Thielman, Amber Richardson, and Baker City Mayor Kerry McQuisten.
2. One fun thing: unofficial ranking of Gov candidate logos
While we’re talking about the race for the next Governor, GOP political consultant Reagan Knopp has compiled and ranked the gubernatorial candidates’ logos. His ranking is nonpartisan, but not uncontroversial. Please send all complaints and disagreements to @ReaganKnopp on Twitter.
3. More candidates announce they’re running all over Oregon
Jamie McLeod-Skinner has announced she’s running in Oregon’s new 5th Congressional District—and she’s secured the endorsement of Milwaukie Mayor Mark Gamba, Congressman Kurt Schrader’s previous primary opponent. Schrader has still not indicated whether he will run in the 5th District, where he lives, or the new 6th District, which includes parts of his current district.
Amy Ryan Courser, a Republican former member of the Keizer City Council who challenged Schrader in 2020, is running in the new 6th Congressional District.
In more central Oregon political news, Emerson Levy will take on Rep. Jack Zika in a rematch from 2020, this time in the new, bluer House District 53.
Gladstone City Councilor Annessa Hartman will join Charles Gallia in the primary to replace Rep. Mark Meek in House District 40, who is running for senate.
Labor organizer Lamar Wise, a lobbyist for AFSCME, joins the race for the appointment to finish Sen. Chuck Riley’s term. Other candidates include Rep. Janeen Sollman, Hillsboro City Councilor Anthony Martin, Nathan Sosa, and Ryan Van Domelen.
Former Metro Councilor Robert Liberty is seeking the appointment to finish retiring Councilor Bob Stacey’s term. He joins Duncan Hwang in the race.
Rep. Brian Clem, a veteran of the legislature, is resigning. No word on if he will run for Congress in the new 6th.
Some non-campaign related personnel changes and news:
Former legislative candidate and southern coast civic leader Cal Mukumoto will be Oregon’s new State Forester (head of the Oregon Department of Forestry).
Longtime Oregon reporter Nick Budnick will be the new editor-in-chief of The Lund Report.
Rep. Marty Wilde, a Democrat, supports a lawsuit to try to move legislative boundaries.
4. Federal News: Wyden makes waves with “Billionaire Tax”; Schrader vs. everybody; Bentz demands crackdown on illegal pot operations
Heads Up Phil Knight: Senator Ron Wyden finally released the blueprint for his “Billionaire Tax” which is making waves in the media and policy circles. Brian Faler at Politico has the full story, but here’s what you need to know:
The policy, in what would the the first of its kind, would tax unrealized capital gains for individuals with more than $1 billion in assets or $100 million in gross income.
Billionaires would also owe taxes on unaccrued gains before the tax’s implementation.
Democrats are increasingly seeing the proposal as critical, as the core ambitions of President Joe Biden’s agenda keep getting cut. Plus, many Americans want to tax the wealthy.
But, but, but: Democrats are having a hard time getting anything finalized and this innovative proposal may also end up in the dust bin. Sen. Joe Manchin reportedly does not like it.
The tax could run into constitutional issues and has been facing intense opposition from pro-business media like the Wall Street Journal editorial board and (unsurprisingly) some billionaires.
In other news: Rep. Kurt Schrader has found himself in arguably the toughest spot in his long political career. He’s long been to the right of the base of the Democratic Party, but with a new district and by far the toughest primary challenge of his career in Jamie McLeod-Skinner (assuming he runs in the 5th), Schrader’s tenure could be coming to an end.
Schrader is being bombarded on the airwaves, by media outlets, and over mail by groups across the partisan spectrum:
The GOP-aligned American Action Network has been demanding Schrader oppose “Pelosi’s Tax and Spending Scam.” Schrader is just 1 of 15 Democrats being targeted in the group’s most recent $4.5 million ad campaign.
Schrader’s also facing pressure campaigns from other interest groups including The Nature Conservancy, Patients for Affordable Care, The League of Conservation Voters, and a whole host of others.
It’s Everybody vs. Kurt Schrader. What else is new?
Reality Check: Schrader has learned to survive where a host of other moderate Democrats across the county have fallen to primary challenges or in “wave years.” Recent history proves you can’t count Kurt Schrader out.
Rep. Cliff Bentz addressed Attorney General Merrick Garland in a recent hearing demanding that he take action against illegal marijuana operations in southern Oregon. Jamie Parfitt has the full story over at KDRV.
Bentz noted that illegal marijuana production has “an almost unbelievable industrial scale” in the region.
Many workers of these types of operations are undocumented immigrants being taken advantage of by drug cartels.
The situation has gotten so bad that Bentz also noted that Josephine County sent a letter to Governor Kate Brown asking her to “declare a state of emergency” over the matter.
5. “Here is Oregon” launches
“Here is Oregon”, an offshoot of Oregonian Media Group, has launched. It will showcase “a mix of features centered around our mission, to lift and celebrate Oregon — the people, the places, the experiences and the diversity of culture and skills that inspire innovation and build community.”
6. News Round-Up:
John Horvick’s Twitter feed is highly recommended for Oregon political observers; check it out: @Horvick
From OPB: “Unmasked anti-vaccine mandate protesters interrupt Portland school board meeting”
It happens to the best of us. Fox News: “Dem Rep. DeFazio caught on hot mic swearing amid GOP speech”
Ammon Bundy is back in the news: “Ammon Bundy far-right anti-government group rapidly expands, new report says.” AP has the story.
Black community leaders, led by Gary Hollands (PPS School Board Member and Interim ED) pitch Portland on building the biggest youth sports complex on the West Coast. The O has the story.
Some good COVID News! KGW8: “Oregon reaches 80% adult vaccination milestone”
The O: “Lake Oswego private island estate sells to mystery buyer for what could be record-setting price” P.S. If you’re reading this, OR360 launch party at your place?
What in the world? WKRN: “‘Ricky Bobby’ arrested after wild Oregon crime spree”
7. Ben Bowman ‘Joins’ The Oregon Bridge
Ben Bowman, co-host of The Oregon Bridge, and co-author of The Liftoff, is running for the Oregon State House. In this episode, Ben and Alex discuss what it takes to run for the legislature, some hints on campaign strategy, and the big issues facing the state. This was a fun episode.
Listen on Apple, Spotify, Audible, or YouTube.
Next week, we have a well-known Oregon journalist on the pod. We have a couple of other guests scheduled in the coming weeks (a candidate for high office and a prominent non-profit leader in Portland). If you’ve got suggestions for podcast guests (or if you want to come on yourself!), shoot Ben a note (see end of email).
8. What do workers want in Oregon?
Check out this week’s infographic from the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center on what workers are looking for in a job (hint: start with money!).
Thank you for reading.
Tips? Feedback? Ideas? Corrections? We want to hear from you! Email benjaminwbowman@gmail.com.
If you value this newsletter, please become a paying subscriber today. Your support will help us grow and offer more opportunities to this community. It’s just $10 a month!