The Bridge by OR360

Rep. Karin Power was first elected to the legislature in 2016, representing House District 41 (Milwaukie and part of SE Portland). Power is known for her policy savvy and work ethic; in her second term, Willamette Week called her "the House member held in the highest and widest esteem." Alongside Rep. Rachel Prusak and Rep. Anna Williams, she announced she would not be running for re-election this cycle, citing the demands of the job and low legislative pay. In this episode, we talk about the political dynamics and policy complexities of legislator pay--and whether she's optimistic that things will change. We also cover several issues she's led on (get ready for a mind-blowing conversation about Oregon's childcare crisis).   We cover what the end of Roe v. Wade means in Oregon, how she ended up in Oregon from New Jersey, and an under-the-radar issue more Oregonians should be talking about. Power was recently announced as the new Executive Director of Business for a Better Portland. She moved to Oregon from the east coast and graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School. We hope you enjoy the conversation!   Representative Karin Power Facebook Page A Plan for a Balanced Economic Recovery (The Business Oregon report Rep. Power cites) The @NJGov Twitter (Official Account of New Jersey) Ben's favorite band Bleachers' song "Chinatown" with Bruce Springsteen

Emerson Levy is the Democratic nominee for the new House District 53 (Bend and Redmond) in Central Oregon. Levy ran for the seat in 2020 against now-Rep. Jack Zika, losing by about 14 points. In 2020, the district was R+6, but after redistricting, it's D+4--and Zika isn't running for re-election (Republicans nominated Michael Sipe). This could be one of the closest legislative races in the state. Levy is an attorney, mom, and community leader in Bend. She is active with the Deschutes County Democratic Party, serving as Vice Chair, and has volunteered on the Oregon Task Force for School Safety. She has experience working in complex clean energy deals. In this episode, we talk about her views on school safety (and potential gun laws), the politics of central Oregon and how they differ from the metro area, the sky-high cost of housing, and how Oregon can lead the country on clean energy. To learn more about Emerson, visit her website: www.EmersonVotes.com

Les Zaitz is a well-respected figure in the Oregon journalism world (and beyond, as we discuss), having spent decades working in the industry both as a reporter and, more recently, as a media entrepreneur. He is retiring from his post as the founding editor of the Oregon Capital Chronicle and will continue to lead two local publications, the Malheur Enterprise and the Salem Reporter. This was a fun episode--Les is funny, knowledgeable, and direct. We cover many aspects of journalism (local vs. national news, business models, the rise of "creators", whether the state should fund news, etc.), as well as the recent controversies involving the Enterprise and Rep. Greg Smith and some new ideas on closing the urban/rural divide.   Here is his bio, courtesy of the Chronicle:    "Les Zaitz is a veteran editor and investigative reporter, serving Oregon for more than 45 years. He reported for The Oregonian for 25 years and owns community newspapers and a digital news service. He is a national SPJ fellow, two-time Pulitzer finalist, including for a lengthy investigation of Mexican drug cartels in Oregon and five-time winner of Oregon’s top investigative reporting award. He has investigated corrupt state legislators, phony charities, and an international cult that moved to Oregon, and the biggest bank failure in Oregon history. He also has been active in reforming the state’s public records law and was appointed by the governor to the Oregon Public Records Advisory Council. In his spare time, he operates a ranch nestled in a national forest, feeding horses and assorted animals."   You can support Les' work at the Enterprise, the Reporter, and the (free!) Chronicle. 

Oregon360 Media, the parent company for The Oregon Bridge podcast, also puts out a weekly newsletter (The Liftoff) and a weekly collection of opinion pieces (The Oregon Way)--both available on our Substack.   Brad Phelps, an Oregon native who recently graduated from Princeton, will be editing The Oregon Way this summer -- and he's got ideas to improve the way civic leaders share their ideas. Brad grew up outside Lyons, Oregon. In this episode, Brad talks about losing his childhood home during the Beachie Creek Fire as well as his ideas for revamping The Oregon Way.    Thank you for listening, and if you haven't yet, make sure you subscribe to the newsletters and our YouTube page to stay up to date!

Mike Rogoway is an award-winning journalist who has covered business and technology for the Oregonian since 2004. Rogoway is among the most senior reporters at The Oregonian and has broken major national stories during his time at The O; he is well-sourced with a deep knowledge of Oregon's economy and business environment.    In this episode, we ask Mike about the most pressing issues that our audience (of politically engaged listeners) should know about. We talk about the big trends in Oregon's business community, which industries are thriving and which are declining, and why Oregon's publicly-traded companies have suffered worse than the broader stock market. We talk about inflation, whether a recession is on the horizon--and whether Portland and Oregon can be resilient or not. Finally, we cover some specific sectors--agriculture and technology--and why they matter so much for the state's future.

Brian Clem is a well-known figure in Oregon politics. He was first elected to the state legislature in 2006 and served for twelve years before retiring late last year. Clem was one of the leading moderate Democrats in the state house, known for his candor and willingness to buck his own leadership (e.g. he is one of the only Democrats who didn’t vote for any of the major PERS reform bills in the last decade). In his retirement from the legislature, he helped launch a PAC called Oregonians Are Ready, which supported more moderate or business-friendly Democrats during the 2022 primary election with over $125,000 in spending. Clem actively considered running for Congress this cycle before declining to run (which we talk about in the episode).   As a legislator, Clem was a dealmaker and had several high-profile accomplishments, including a landmark bill to protect the Metolius River, expanding Oregon’s “farm to school” program, and crafting the “land use grand bargain” of 2014. In this episode, we talk about his legislative service, why he started his new PAC, and his advice to Democrats running in rural areas in this year’s tough political environment. We also cover how Clem’s rural background informed his political views–and his close relationship with the late Rep. Vic Gilliam (including the infamous story of every member of the House, Republican and Democrat, marching to Senate President Peter Courtney’s office in protest).

This week, GOP political consultant Reagan Knopp returns to help us digest the results of the 2022 primary election. We talk about the highlights, surprises, winners, and losers from across the state--and why they matter for the general election. We start with a high-level discussion about the major takeaways and themes from the election. Races include: Democratic and GOP primaries for Governor and Congress, the statewide BOLI race, Portland metro-area races, and legislative highlights. 

Cheri Helt is a candidate for Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industry (Labor Commissioner) and a former state representative from Bend. On May 17, she finished in second place in the primary, meaning she will move to the general election in November and face civil rights attorney Christina Stephenson.    While this statewide position is nonpartisan, Cheri is a moderate Republican and business owner. Previously, she served on the Bend-La Pine School Board for nearly a decade. In this episode, we talk about her experience as a moderate Republican in the legislature (including a couple of difficult votes she took on the Student Success Act and vaccines). We also cover her vision for the role of Labor Commissioner (apprenticeships, workforce development, BOLI staffing, etc). We have an interesting exchange on the famous "Sweet Cakes by Melissa" decision on LGBTQ+ rights and religious freedom (which played out under Commissioners Brad Avakian and Val Hoyle, but may be resolved by the next Commissioner) where Helt describes how she would approach the decision.   You can learn more about Cheri Helt on her website: www.cherihelt.com