🚂 How to fix a major Portland traffic jam

It’s Not Exactly a Rematch

You’re going to hear a lot about how the Oregon governor’s race is a rematch between Gov. Tina Kotek, the Democratic nominee, and state Sen. Christine Drazen, the Republican who won Tuesday’s primary with 42 percent of the vote. (You may already know that from the election predictions in Monday’s podcast episode.) But while it’s true Kotek and Drazan did run against each other in the 2022 general election, there are some key differences this time around. [KGW / OPB / City Cast Portland 🎧]

An unpopular incumbent: Kotek is now running for reelection, instead of as a first-time candidate for governor, and even among Multnomah County voters (where Democrats outnumber Republicans 5-to-1), she’s unpopular — with just 56% approving of her job performance. [Oregonian]

• Polling on the match-up: One poll released by Republican candidate Chris Dudley's campaign during the final week of the primary showed that Kotek would have lost to Dudley in the general election. The poll also showed that, even in a heavily Democratic state, Kotek is in a potentially tough race against Drazan (45 to 45). [Oregonian]

A third-party spoiler last time? In 2022, former state Sen. Betsy Johnson ran for governor as an independent. A powerful figure in state politics, she attracted some massive campaign donations (from Nike founder Phil Knight). In the end, Johnson didn’t get that many votes — but she still drew more than the margin separating Drazan and Kotek. It’s not clear which candidate, if either, would have received Johnson’s votes without her in the race. The difference this time: There isn’t a high-profile third-party candidate. [Oregon Secretary of State’s office]

Republicans have a Trump problem: When Trump is in office, it tends to be good for local Democrats seeking a win at the ballot box in a blue state. That may be particularly true at this moment, considering Trump’s record-low approval ratings and the war on Iran leading to a spike in gas prices. Trump is also downplaying the impact of rising gas prices (“this is peanuts,” he said this week), potentially exacerbating the problem. [Forbes / People]

• Local gas price issues: Locally, Drazan and Republicans have been trying to make cost-of-living a problem for Kotek and Democrats. The 6-cents-a-gallon gas tax increase, supported by Kotek last fall, was dramatically overturned by voters on Tuesday, with more than 80% of voters rejecting it. But scapegoating Democrats for high prices is a challenging argument at this moment, considering gas prices. [OPB]

Incumbent Judge Adrian Brown Lost Reelection

It’s rare for an incumbent judge to face a viable challenger at the ballot box, as Judge Adrian Brown did on Tuesday. Not only that, she lost to challenger Peter Klym, who won 69% of the vote in initial counts. That result comes after a public fight between Brown and District Attorney Nathan Vasquez, who disqualified the judge from hearing major felony cases. [Oregonian]

• More election results: Check out the stories from Oregonian and OPB, as well as the up-to-date tabulations from Oregon Secretary of State.

How To Fix Rail Crossings

Traffic jams caused by trains blocking the Central Eastside have gotten worse with time — the trains have gotten longer. But a railroad consultant for businesses has proposed four possible solutions to the sometimes hour-long wait times — ranging from upgrades to the Brooklyn Rail Yard to rerouting the trains away from a quarter mile of their current route. [Willamette Week]

• An app for that: Genie’s Cafe — located near the rail crossing at Southeast 11th Avenue, recommends the TrainSnap app, which was developed here in Portland. (After reading this story, it's now loaded on my phone too.) [Willamette Week]

Climate Fund a Model for Other Cities

The Portland Clean Energy Fund, which has now raised a billion dollars, has been replicated by other cities as the Trump administration makes cuts to climate funding. Denver, Seattle, and Ann Arbor, Michigan all now have similar climate funds. [OPB]