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Artwork for OPB Politics Now
Oregon
Homelessness
Portland
Trump Administration
Climate Change
Tina Kotek
Oregon Legislature
Oregon Legislative Session
Multnomah County
Measure 110
Oregon Politics
Oregon Education System
Donald Trump
Keith Wilson
Governor Tina Kotek
Federal Funding
Governor Tina Kotec
Deschutes County
Janelle Bynum
Transportation Funding

"OPB Politics Now" is a weekly podcast that takes a deep dive into the hottest political topics in Oregon and the Northwest. Every Friday, OPB’s political reporters and special guests offer in-depth analysis, discussion and insight into candidates, events and issues.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes414Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

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Artwork for OPB Politics Now

Latest Episodes

For quite some time, Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan didn't seem to have a very strong -- or clear -- stance on how they felt about data centers in Oregon. That changed this week. Within hours of each other, they both announced they s... more

We are exactly two months away from election day. And there is a lot of confusion on the electoral landscape. On this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart and Lauren Daketalk about all the uncertainty surrounding vote by mail... more

Becky Lange loved making use of things that others considered trash. The Portlander was an artist and civic leader who was killed earlier this year in the city's urban center. On this week's episode of OPB Politics Now, we hand the podcast over to ou... more

Oregonians are facing food insecurity just as federal cuts to the food assistance programs known as SNAP play put in realtime. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we hand the podcast keys to our friends at The Evergreen. OPB politics reporter ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Nick Bain
GroundScore supervisor, Lange's boss
GroundScore
Episode: How one Portland woman found beauty in 'ground scores'
Debbie McCleary
Founder of The Kindness Club, local nonprofit
The Kindness Club
Episode: Hunger in rural Oregon on display as SNAP cuts take effect
Stephanie Yates
Plant (program organizer) for summer meals program
Kindness Club / local schools
Episode: Hunger in rural Oregon on display as SNAP cuts take effect
Jennifer Miller
Elementary school aide, summer meal delivery participant
Local school
Episode: Hunger in rural Oregon on display as SNAP cuts take effect
Wes Miller
Pastor, participant in meal delivery
Local church
Episode: Hunger in rural Oregon on display as SNAP cuts take effect
Charlie Miller
Child featured in the piece
Family
Episode: Hunger in rural Oregon on display as SNAP cuts take effect
Dwayne Hankins
President of business operations for the Trail Blazers
Trail Blazers
Episode: Portland puts the Trail Blazers’ future in Tom Dundon’s court
Brett Smith
Green Party nominee for Oregon governor; former Independent Party candidate
Pacific Green Party of Oregon
Episode: What a Green Party candidate may mean for Oregon governor’s race
Tom Dundon
Portland Trail Blazers owner
Portland Trail Blazers / ownership group
Episode: Tom Dundon comes to town as Moda Center takes center stage

Hosts

Dirk VanderHart
Host of OPB Politics Now; OPB politics reporter
Lauren Dake
OPB Politics reporter; Host of OPB Politics Now
Alex Zielinski
Portland City Government reporter; Host of OPB Politics Now

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 251 ratings
  • Oregon Timber

    Oregon is a beautiful state and the people are hospitable and generous in deed and thought BUT I honestly do not feel any sympathy for the mostly Republican voters in the Oregon timber industry.

    Trump told you outright (twice) he wanted to gut federal funding to states and sell off public lands for profit, stop public land management, end federal funding of forestry, emergency funding and management, and gut education, gut medicaid, and sell all the gold in Fort Knox, etc...

    Trump’s adminis... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Windy13007
    United Statesa year ago
  • Must follow if you live in Oregon

    Fantastic show that is a must listen to if you live in Oregon.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mulderc
    United Statesa year ago
  • Informative Facts Checked

    Refreshing fact checked local and national news. Minus the advertising, NPR & OPB are my go to evening and morning news addiction. Good solid reporting. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Windy13007
    United States2 years ago
  • Disappointing

    Always assumes the left view is the only and right view.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Seize the coffee
    United States3 years ago
  • Crisp Conversations

    Important, informed reporting. Your conversations will improve when everyone dumps the lazy lingo: “Pretty much,” “you know,” “right?” Be clear, crisp, concise.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    425w
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise balanced, well-sourced local politics coverage and on-the-ground reporting.
Some listeners criticize perceived partisan framing or focus on Portland/SW Washington areas.
Strong appreciation for in-depth analysis useful for understanding state policy and elections.

Top Politics Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Supreme Court rules Oregon (and others) can accept late ballots
Q: Let's start, Dirk, with the Supreme Court case I mentioned. What was it all about?
The case (Watson v. Republican National Committee) involved a Mississippi law similar to Oregon's rule that accepts late ballots with a postmark by election day; the question was whether federal law bars such grace periods. The hosts explain the Mississippi comparison and how the court's ruling ultimately permitted Oregon's approach to counting late ballots for this cycle.
Portland’s divided City Council passed another budget no one is pleased with
Q: How did this year compare to last year in terms of the budget process and the new form of government?
Last year, a brand-new cohort of councilors faced a steep learning curve with many amendments and a chaotic start; this year, they knew what to expect but still faced long meetings, dozens of amendments, and a deadlock pattern driven by ideological divisions between progressives and moderates, which limited major policy changes despite more time to discuss.
Portland’s divided City Council passed another budget no one is pleased with
Q: What did that budget look like, remind us, and what were some of the forces that were shaping it?
Portland entered this cycle with a grim outlook—a roughly $170 million gap driven by inflation, expiring one-time funds, and declining tax revenue, and the mayor proposed using the City's Overnight Shelters program as a major balancing tool while making significant cuts to public safety and staffing. The council softened some blows but could not fully restore the shelter network or restore the unarmed public-safety positions, resulting in a budget that many counselors found disappointing and still full of hard tradeoffs.
The messy legacy of Bob Packwood
Q: What role did the ethics investigation and diaries play in Packwood's downfall?
The diary revelations provided damning personal detail that bolstered the ethics case, showing a pattern of misconduct and a deliberate attempt to obfuscate the truth, which together with corroborated accounts drove the investigation forward.
The messy legacy of Bob Packwood
Q: What is Jeff's assessment of Oregon's current GOP landscape compared to Packwood's era?
He suggests today's GOP in Oregon is more ideologically sorted and less willing to tolerate moderates, contrasting with Packwood's 50% cross-aisle positioning, which helped him navigate multiple interest groups.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About OPB Politics Now

What is OPB Politics Now about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program concentrates on Oregon and the Northwest's political landscape, with weekly deep-dive analyses from reporters and guests on candidates, elections, policy shifts, and local governance. Episodes consistently explore how local issues—ranging from growth and infrastructure to health care and environmental policy—play out across city councils, state authorities, and regional power dynamics. A standout is the strong on-the-ground reporting paired with thoughtful, accessible debates among seasoned journalists, which helps listeners connect statewide trends to their communities. Potential listeners who want clear context, credible sources, and timely political insight at the state and regional level will likely find this compelling.

N... more

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Which podcasts are similar to OPB Politics Now?

These podcasts share a similar audience with OPB Politics Now:

1. Think Out Loud
2. City Cast Portland
3. The NPR Politics Podcast
4. Consider This from NPR
5. Up First from NPR

How many episodes of OPB Politics Now are there?

OPB Politics Now launched 10 years ago and published 414 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact OPB Politics Now?

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What guests have appeared on OPB Politics Now?

Recent guests on OPB Politics Now include:

1. Nick Bain
2. Debbie McCleary
3. Stephanie Yates
4. Jennifer Miller
5. Wes Miller
6. Charlie Miller
7. Dwayne Hankins
8. Brett Smith

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