Oregon

Why Oregon residents may elect the first non-Democratic governor in 40 years

Published

3 years ago

November 3, 2022

Why Oregon residents may elect the first non-Democratic governor in 40 years

The
Oregon
governor’s race normally garners little consideration from outdoors the state. The election of a liberal Democrat is often so predictable.

This 12 months is completely different.

The
Republican
nominee, Christine Drazan, seems to be in a useless warmth with the
Democrat
, Tina Kotek. Polls point out each drawing about 39% of the citizens, with Betsy Johnson, a former Democratic state senator working as an unbiased, capturing about 14%. The final time a Republican gained the Oregon governor’s race was 1982, when incumbent Vic Atiyeh was elected to a second time period with 62% of the vote. Since then, the demographics of the state have modified. Just about all statewide races at the moment are gained by Democrats, and the get together has had a lock on each chambers of the state legislature since 2012.

DEMOCRATS FINALLY FOCUS ON ECONOMY AND CRIME IN LAST MIDTERM CAMPAIGN ADS

What’s completely different in 2022?

It’s quite simple: the general high quality of life in Oregon has quickly declined. Homeless camps are in every single place, crime is rising, and public college take a look at scores have plummeted. Gov. Kate Brown’s tyrannical dealing with of the COVID-19 disaster, which included prolonged college shutdowns, alienated a lot of her pure allies. Since Kotek was Speaker of the Oregon Home of Representatives throughout a lot of the Brown period, she is broadly perceived to be Kate 2.0. On this explicit 12 months, that’s not a bonus.

Kotek additionally has flaws as a candidate. She’s not a charismatic speaker, and he or she doesn’t come throughout as an inspirational chief. She is a product of Portland liberal politics, the place she had a secure Home seat that allowed her to pursue nearly any agenda she needed. With Democratic supermajorities in a single or each legislative chambers for a lot of her tenure as Speaker, passing progressive laws wasn’t too laborious. In these instances the place it was troublesome, she dominated with an iron hand to get her manner. That management model could be acceptable, and even needed, to maintain the legislative conveyor belt working, however it doesn’t essentially translate into statewide enchantment in a race for governor.

Oregon’s altering demographics are additionally an element. The variety of non-affiliated voters has been rising steadily, and includes 34.4% of all voters, in contrast with Democrats at 34.2% and Republicans at 24.7%. A decade in the past, Democrats accounted for 40% of the full. Now that non-affiliated voters symbolize the biggest voting bloc, it has created a chance for robust third-party candidates, which is clearly affecting the 2022 governor’s race.

A 3rd-party candidate, Betsy Johnson, comes from a distinguished Oregon household. She is tapping into voter discontent with Brown and has acquired greater than $3 million from Oregon’s richest particular person, Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Republican Christine Drazan can also be proving to be a formidable candidate. She was an efficient Minority Chief for 2 legislative phrases. She is aware of the method, she’s a superb campaigner, and has raised sufficient cash to get her message out. In latest months Phil Knight has donated $1.5 million to her marketing campaign, displaying that his main motivation is to defeat Kotek.

It’s doubtless there’s a massive cohort of voters who share this view, however whether or not they’ll vote for Johnson or Drazan is unknown. One in all Portland’s most distinguished bloggers, legislation professor Jack Bodanski, is a Democrat who dislikes Kotek a lot he gained’t vote for her. However he additionally despises Republicans, so he shall be voting for Johnson. Everybody within the “not Tina” camp has to make the identical calculation. If there’s sufficient vote-splitting, Kotek might win with as little as 34% of votes forged.

Oregon is a vote-by-mail state, and ballots are already being turned in. We are going to quickly know if that is the 12 months voters go for an ideological reset.

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John A. Charles, Jr. is President & CEO of Cascade Coverage Institute, a coverage analysis group based mostly in Portland, OR.

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Oregon

Oregon seniors outnumber children for the first time, creating a looming demographic challenge

Published

9 hours ago

May 25, 2025

Press Room

Oregon seniors outnumber children for the first time, creating a looming demographic challenge

Oregon has more residents over 65 than it does people under 18, a striking demographic reversal that has enormous implications for the state’s economy.

“We are an aging population,” state economist Carl Riccadonna told Oregon legislators at a committee hearing earlier this month, where he presented figures showing the state’s population has been racking up the years.

As recently as 1985, Oregon had more than twice as many children as seniors. But the state’s birth rate has fallen sharply — it’s among the nation’s lowest — and most baby boomers are now in retirement age.

The result is that the number of older adults has overtaken the number of kids. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis estimates the state has nearly 900,000 people over 65, compared to 832,000 under 18 in 2024 and an estimated 821,000 now.

State economists expect that the number of seniors will continue rising while the number of children continues falling. By 2035, they forecast Oregon will have 40% more seniors than kids.

“Based solely on the demographics of Oregon, demand for public services geared towards children and young adults will likely decline or increase only at a slower pace, whereas demand for elderly care and services geared towards the elderly will increase rapidly,” state forecasters wrote in their quarterly economic report.

Fewer kids will eventually mean fewer workers, too, unless Oregon can become a more attractive destination for migrants.

Oregon’s aging population mirrors similar trends across the U.S. and in other developed countries. But those trends are especially pronounced in Oregon.

Just 1 in 5 Oregonians is under 18, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s the smallest share of children in any state west of the Mississippi River. The number of school-aged Oregon children has been falling since 2021.

Many factors contribute to Oregon’s relatively aged population.

Migrants who arrived in the 1970s and ‘90s have stayed and grown older. Housing costs are higher than in other parts of the country and so fewer people have families. Oregon’s education rates are high and college-educated people tend to have fewer kids. Oregon also has a less diverse population than other West Coast states, and white people tend to have smaller families.

Regardless of the reasons, the significance of Oregon’s aging population is clear.

“Demographics are destiny,” Riccadonna told lawmakers. “And if you have a slower growth rate in your population, that means you’re going to have a slower growth rate in your economy, all else being equal.”

This is Oregon Insight, The Oregonian‘s weekly look at the numbers behind the state’s economy. View past installments here.

— Mike Rogoway covers Oregon technology and the state economy. Reach him at mrogoway@oregonian.com.

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Oregon

Which Oregon stores have Memorial Day sales? See deals at Lowe’s, Walmart, Target, REI

Published

1 day ago

May 24, 2025

Press Room

Which Oregon stores have Memorial Day sales? See deals at Lowe’s, Walmart, Target, REI

Memorial Day weekend is usually a time for Oregonians to break out the barbecue and get together with family, but it’s also when retailers offer some of their lowest prices.

There are discounts on things like home appliances, grills, mattresses, seasonal fashion and beauty products from brands like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Lowe’s.

Here are some Memorial Day sales happening at popular stores in Oregon this weekend.

Is Amazon having a Memorial Day sale?

Yes. Amazon is often a primary destination for shoppers, including Prime members, to compare prices. Given Amazon’s scale and competitive pricing strategy, it frequently offers similar deals to other major retailers during popular sales events like Memorial Day weekend.

Is Walmart having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. Walmart is offering Memorial Day price rollbacks and deals. It is offering significant discounts on everything from coolers and outdoor furniture, to grills and more.

Is Target having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. Target is holding its Hello Summer Sale, happening through May 26. During the sale, Oregonians can get up to 50% off on outdoor and patio furnishings, grills, small appliances, sun squad toys, home goods and more.

Is Lowe’s having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. The Lowe’s Memorial Day sale runs now through May 28. The sale includes discounts on items like appliances, outdoor and garden essentials, tools, furniture, mattresses and more.

Is Home Depot having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. The Home Depot Memorial Day sale includes discounts of up to 50% off on popular home items. The sale features low prices on appliances, outdoor and garden, tools, home improvement, mattresses and more.

Is REI having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. The REI Anniversary Sale is happening through May 26. During the sale, Oregonians can get up to 30% off across a wide range of outdoor gear and apparel from popular brands like Patagonia, The North Face, Salomon and more.

Is Ace Hardware having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. Now through May 26, Ace is offering savings on a wide range of summer essentials. Whether Oregonians are prepping their backyard for barbecue season or upgrading their tool shed, the sale features deals from some of the most trusted names in home improvement and outdoor living.

Is Nordstrom having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. This weekend, Nordstrom’s is combining its Memorial Day sales with its 2025 Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale, where customers can get up to 60% off premium brands like Off-White, Missoni, Victoria Beckham, Burberry and more.

Is Kohl’s having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. Shoppers can get 20% off their Kohl’s purchase with an exclusive coupon.

Is Macy’s having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. Macy’s is offering customers up to 60% off items this Memorial Day weekend.

Is JCPenney having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. The JCPenney Memorial Day home sale is offering customers up to 50% off home items and an additional 30% off select items with coupon.

Is Old Navy having a Memorial Day sale in Oregon?

Yes. Old Navy is offering customers up to 50% off this Memorial Day weekend.

What other Memorial Day sales are happening this weekend?

Contributing: Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, Rachel Cortez, USA Today, and Lianna Norman, Palm Beach Post.

Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@gannett.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.

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Oregon

Oregon edges Liberty in softball super regionals with walk-off finish

Published

2 days ago

May 24, 2025

Press Room

Softball

May 24, 2025

Oregon edges Liberty in softball super regionals with walk-off finish

May 24, 2025

Oregon took game one over Liberty with a walk-off single in the 8th inning. Watch the end of the NCAA softball super regional matchup of Oregon vs. Liberty.

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