Christine Drazan holds sizable lead in GOP race for Oregon governor, new poll suggests The poll by Salem-based Nelson Research is the first public survey to emerge in the battle to take on Gov. Tina Kotek in November.

A poll has finally emerged in the heated GOP race for Oregon governor. It shows state Sen. Christine Drazan with a commanding lead. #orpol

www.opb.org/article/2026...

‘Everyone is Replaceable’: Death Rattles Oregon Amazon Facility A worker died at Amazon’s Troutdale warehouse last week. Employees were told to look away.

For more than a week, Amazon has managed to keep a death at its Troutdale, Oregon, facility out of public view.

Workers I spoke to are pissed.

Oregon may have a real labor commissioner race on its hands Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City, says he’s leaning toward challenging Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson.

Anderson seemed to be the only person that could stand in Stephenson's way as she looks for another four years.

www.opb.org/article/2026...

State Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City, decided not to file to run for Oregon's Labor Commissioner, despite creating a website for the purpose. (Anderson was hoping for a 1-on-1 race against Commish Christina Stephenson but another person was in the race). #orpol

Whoops! Left out that the $365M is for Moda Center renovations designed to keep the Blazers in Portland. #orleg

Maybe more notable, the total estimated costs of bonding for that money, which could tack on hundreds of millions in costs. #Orleg

As a bill to put $365M in state funding continues to move in the Legislature, some notable numbers are emerging.

That includes the first estimates for how much will be diverted from the state's general fund in coming budgets. #orleg

Oregon bill rejecting some Trump tax cuts clears state Senate Is Senate Bill 1507 a reckless tax hike or a sensible budget move? Lawmakers disagreed Monday.

Background on the bill, which is wonky:

www.opb.org/article/2026...

The Oregon House is debating a bill that would nix some of the tax cuts passed by congress last year.

If SB 1507 passes, state Rep. Ed Diehl, who already referred a gas tax hike to voters, says he'll collect signatures to send pieces of it to the ballot. #orleg

All indications are that there's been a transportation funding deal for weeks. Lawmakers are just opting not to tell anyone what it is. #orleg

The latter. Thanks!

One thing Anderson thinks could help him? Democrats' insistence on pushing a gas tax vote from Nov. to May.

Since labor commish is nonpartisan, it can be decided in the May election. Anderson thinks more people upset over a gas tax works in his favor. #orpol

Oregon may have a real labor commissioner race on its hands Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City, says he’s leaning toward challenging Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson.

Could Oregon have an interesting BOLI race this year? State Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City, says he's close to announcing a challenge to Commissioner Christina Stephenson. #orpol

www.opb.org/article/2026...

That is not correct. That looks like an error on OLIS.

The Secretary of State's office just confirmed what many have suspected: 2/25 is not a hard and fast deadline to pass SB 1599. It's feasible it could pass 3/8 and still be successful, the SoS office says, though that's not recommended. #orpol #orleg

SB 1599 passes 17-13. Sen. Mark Meek was the only Dem against. #orleg

Meanwhile, House Republicans appear to be getting ready to refuse to attend a floor session this afternoon. That would block a first reading of SB 1599 in that chamber. That would push passage to 2/26 (at earliest). #orleg

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That motion fails. Now: debate. Sen. Jeff Golden a Dem expected to support the bill, gets real.

"Both parties want the election day they want for partisan political reason. Everyone in this chamber knows it. Most Oregonians who are paying attention know it." #orleg

GOP is in filibuster mode as a vote approaches. They are moving that the vote be bumped to March 8.

Arguments include: "March is the transition month... March also, of course, is legendary for its celebration of all things Irish. We’re not asking that this be moved to the 17th."

Republicans clearly expecting SB 1599 to pass today. Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, stood up to rail against pressure over the bill.

"When the majority wants a bill bad enough.. the full weight of the institution comes down," she says. #orleg

Yes. It requires R votes to suspend the rules.

My guess is that the alleged 2/25 deadline will be found to be squishier than it has been portrayed. But that is just a guess at this point.

Yes but that would take support from Republicans who despise this idea.

Assuming the bill passes today, the question becomes timing in the House. I believe the earliest it could pass there, under the best conditions, is 2/26.

Elections officials say SB 1599 should be signed into law by 2/25 to ensure the election can be moved to May. #orleg

It sounds to me like the weekend worked in Dems' favor. Sen Chris Gorsek, a Democrat who was a holdout on Friday, just told me he will back the bill after discussions over the weekend. #orleg

Lacking support, Oregon Democrats delay Senate bill to move gas tax vote It’s just the latest misstep in an ongoing road-funding saga in the Capitol.

The Oregon Senate is about to convene and take up SB 1599, the bill to reschedule a public vote on gas tax/transpo fee hikes from Nov. to May

The crucial question is whether a weekend of screw-turning has won Dems the votes they need. #orleg

Background: www.opb.org/article/2026...

Aaand wow. The Senate is now kicking the question of SB 1599 to next week, making clear Dems did not have their ducks in a row on this.

A continuing trend in the transportation funding realm. #orleg #orpol

If the Dems have the votes to pass SB 1599 they are not acting like it. They have skipped over the bill repeatedly with no explanation. Wagner, the senate prez, is not at the rostrum. #orleg #orpol

Democrats are starting down one vote: Sen. Janeen Sollman is absent today.

Sen. Mark Meek has said he is a "no." That means all remaining Ds must vote yes. Sen. Jeff Golden has been hard to read. He told me earlier today he would reveal his intentions on the floor. #orleg

The Oregon Senate is getting ready to vote on SB 1599 -- probably the legislative session's most contentious bill. It would move the date of a vote on gas tax increases from Nov. to May.

The big question is whether Dems can find 16 votes in their 18-member caucus. #orleg

Senate Democrats are expected to move a vote on SB 1599 to tomorrow, rather than today. That's the hugely contentious proposal to bump up a public vote on the gas tax package Dems passed last year.

There is almost certainly more to the deal than that, but unclear what at present. #orleg #orpol