It’s Italian-American Heritage Month, and Denise celebrated the occasion in the most appropriate way possible – by making a pot of Italian gravy! Of course, that immediately raised the age-old Italian-American question: Is it gravy or is it sauce? We may have opinions. We’re not sure we settled anything. 🍝
But with less than a month until Election Day, much of today’s Newsmakers at Noon was about what’s happening on the ground in Marion and Polk counties.
Nick Hill of Marion + Polk First PAC joined Denise and Hunter with an election update as Oregon prepares to mail ballots beginning October 14. We talked about what Nick is hearing while knocking on doors and talking directly with voters, where campaigns need help in these final weeks, and which local races deserve attention.
That included Salem City Council. Ward 8 heads to a November runoff between Micki Varney and Chris Cummings, while Ward 6 has a write-in challenge from Mai Vang against Betsy Vega. We asked Nick what he’s seeing in those contests and what the results could mean for the direction of the council.
And then there’s the money. A carpenter’s union political committee that had already contributed $650,000 to Gov. Tina Kotek recently reported receiving a $10 million contribution from its national organization. The union told KLCC the money was not earmarked for a particular Oregon race, but the sheer size of the contribution gave us a good question for Nick: What does that kind of money entering Oregon’s political ecosystem potentially mean for down-ballot campaigns in the final month?
We also revisited Thursday night’s first televised debate between Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican challenger Christine Drazan. With recent polling showing a very competitive race, we focused less on declaring a “winner” and more on whether either candidate did anything to persuade voters who weren’t already on her side. Kotek repeatedly sought to connect Drazan with President Trump, while Drazan focused much of her case on Kotek’s record on affordability, taxes, education and Oregon’s economy.
One education exchange particularly caught our attention, when reporter Nigel Jaquiss pressed Kotek about increased education spending alongside disappointing student outcomes. And there were some genuinely testy moments between the candidates-including Drazan joking about the frequency of Kotek’s references to the federal government.
One thing Denise and Hunter both wanted to hear more about? Oregon’s transportation funding and tax controversy. It never became a major part of Thursday’s questioning, and we hope it comes up when the candidates meet again Oct. 7 in Medford.
And a quick election reminder: Oregon’s online audio voters’ guide is available now, printed state voters’ pamphlets are scheduled to arrive Oct. 7–9, ballots begin mailing Oct. 14, and Election Day is Nov. 3.
Tomorrow on Newsmakers: Real Estate Insights. Wednesday, Salem Mayor Julie Hoy joins us, and Thursday we wrap up the week with Jeff Reynolds from Restoration News.
Links from Today’s Show
- Marion/Polk First PAC
- KLCC — $10 million political contribution enters Oregon
- KLCC Oregon Voters Guide
- OPB — Kotek and Drazan meet in first gubernatorial debate
