The Oregon Update on Future Control of Congress
Control of Congress runs through swing districts like Oregon’s 5th District, represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer. So already Democrats are focused on that race. This week saw the biggest endorsement yet in the Democratic primary to unseat Chavez-DeRemer: Gov. Tina Kotek threw her support behind State Rep. Janelle Bynum, who has twice beaten Chavez-DeRemer in state legislative races. Already Democrats are using Chavez-DeRemer’s support for newly elected U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, condemning the vote because of his extreme opposition to abortion and his support for the attempted Trump coup. Chavez-DeRemer defended the vote in an interview with KPTV, saying she didn’t know much about his record. [Oregon Capital Chronicle /
Today we have some updates on political news at various levels of government:
Fight for Control of Congress
Control of Congress runs through swing districts like Oregon’s 5th District, represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer. So already Democrats are focused on that race. This week saw the biggest endorsement yet in the Democratic primary to unseat Chavez-DeRemer: Gov. Tina Kotek threw her support behind State Rep. Janelle Bynum, who has twice beaten Chavez-DeRemer in state legislative races. Already Democrats are using Chavez-DeRemer’s support for newly elected U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, condemning the vote because of his extreme opposition to abortion and his support for Trump's effort to overturn the 2020 reelection. Chavez-DeRemer defended the vote in an interview with KTVZ, saying she didn’t know much about his record. [Oregon Capital Chronicle / KTVZ]
Oregon Supreme Court to Weigh Walkout
Walkouts have shut down the State Legislature repeatedly, but Measure 113 was supposed to do away with them by penalizing legislators who choose not to report for duty. In case you missed it, there was still a walkout last session — the longest in state history. And now five Republican senators who participated are challenging the provision that would bar them from running for reelection. The Oregon Supreme Court will decide whether the measure has any teeth. [OPB]
Bridge Operators: No More Political Colors
Multnomah County bridge operators have asked that the county stop lighting up bridges as a political message. The request came after County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson lit the Morrison Bridge blue and white for five nights to show support for Israel after the Hamas terrorist attack. She followed that up with five nights of white lights as a message for peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. [OPB]
- Related: What is it like to watch a traffic jam from a bridge operator’s perspective? [City Cast Portland]
More about Local Civics
$106M in Unspent Funds at the Portland Housing Bureau
The Portland Housing Bureau has $106 million in unspent funds, the city administrator disclosed late last week. Some of it may be spoken for, but it leaves open the question of how City Council will spend the funds. When the pot of unspent funds was believed to be only $21 million, City Council was divided over whether to spend it on rent assistance or a Prosper Portland housing project. Maybe all of the above are possible now. [Portland Mercury]
City Cast Portland staffFeb 10, 2026
The Gas Tax and Oregon's Legislative Session
State lawmakers convene in Salem next week after a chaotic few weeks for Democratic state leaders as they scramble to address the issue of transportation funding. They have a key problem: Voters appear to oppose the gas tax passed last fall.
City Cast Portland staffJan 28, 2026
US Sen. Wyden Explains His Votes To Arm Israel
Oregon’s U.S. senators usually vote the same way (like for continuing the government shutdown until healthcare costs are addressed). But a key exception in recent months was Sen. Ron Wyden’s support for continued arms sales to Israel while Sen. Jeff Merkley voted to oppose them. Wyden’s support came up again last weekend — at a Portland Book Festival event featuring Omar Al Ekkad, author of “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This” (a title you may recognize as “the one book every Portlander should read right now”).
City Cast Portland staffNov 12, 2025