The Bridge by OR360

Brian Clem is a well-known figure in Oregon politics. He was first elected to the state legislature in 2006 and served for twelve years before retiring late last year. Clem was one of the leading moderate Democrats in the state house, known for his candor and willingness to buck his own leadership (e.g. he is one of the only Democrats who didn’t vote for any of the major PERS reform bills in the last decade). In his retirement from...

This week, GOP political consultant Reagan Knopp returns to help us digest the results of the 2022 primary election. We talk about the highlights, surprises, winners, and losers from across the state--and why they matter for the general election. We start with a high-level discussion about the major takeaways and themes from the election.

Races include: Democratic and GOP primaries for Governor and Congress, the statewide BOLI race...

Political consultant and Oregon Catalyst editor Reagan Knopp joins the pod to discuss everything you need to know on the Republican side of the aisle heading into the 2022 primary election (don’t worry, we also cover some Democratic primaries).

The GOP has excellent pick up opportunities across the state and a strong slate of candidates in key races. But who will actually be on the ticket come November? Reagan provides analysis on ...

John Horvick is one of the top pollsters in the state of Oregon. If there's anyone with their finger on the pulse of public opinion in Oregon, it's John. He is a Senior Vice President for DHM Research (where he's worked for over a decade), a nonpartisan polling firm that works for government agencies, media companies, and nonprofits across the state. His personal Twitter account, @Horvick, is highly recommended for ...

Metro President Lynn Peterson has worked at just about every level of government, both as an elected and appointed leader. She's served as a Lake Oswego City Councilor, Clackamas County Commission chair, senior transportation policy advisor to Governor John Kitzhaber, and head of the Washington State Transportation Department (we ask her about the wild end of her tenure in WA, forced by the state senate). Now she serves as Coun...

No congressional candidate in Oregon is getting more attention this cycle than Carrick Flynn, a Democratic candidate in Oregon's new 6th Congressional District. At least three SuperPACs are supporting him with millions of dollars in independent expenditures--more than any other candidate in America. Most recently, the SuperPAC aligned to House Democratic leadership (e.g. Speaker Nancy Pelosi) has signaled its support, to the fr...

Matt West is a Democratic candidate for Oregon's new 6th Congressional District -- and he has an unconventional background for a candidate. He is a scientist who earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas specializing in fuel cell technology. He now he works for Intel as an engineer. His bio says he is "the first congressional candidate with cryptocurrency development experience in decentralized finance." In this epi...

Nick Kristof is a world-renowned journalist, author, and humanitarian. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, he is also a cider orchardist living in Yamhill, Oregon. He briefly ran for governor of Oregon until being ruled ineligible in February 2022. We start the episode with a campaign debrief: Was the experience positive or negative? Will he consider running for office again? Who will he vote for in the Democratic primary?

Jeff Gudman is a former Lake Oswego City Councilor who was twice the GOP nominee for State Treasurer. He learned his MBA in Finance and Management from the Wharton School of Business and has worked as a financial analyst, treasurer, and investor for several decades. He is also a former All-American swimmer! In this episode we cover PERS (an issue Gudman has studied deeply) and why he believes it matters, what it's like for a mo...

Lacey Beaty is the mayor of Beaverton, one of the largest cities in Oregon. In this episode, we talk about her experience as a combat medic in the U.S. Army during the Iraq War and the challenges that veterans face when they return home. We also touch on U.S. foreign policy, the value of compulsory national service, and the sustainability challenges of an all-volunteer military. We also talk about what can be done about affordable ...

Treasurer Tobias Read returns to the Bridge, this time as a candidate for Governor. With Nick Kristof officially out of the running, Read and Speaker Tina Kotek are the two frontrunners to be the Democratic nominee. Read is a seasoned veteran in Oregon politics and on this episode he discloses some of the ideas he has for Oregon's future. We talk about Oregon’s homelessness crisis, conservation and natural resource controversie...

Tigard Mayor Jason Snider is one of highest ranking independent elected officials in Oregon (he's never been a member of a political party) as mayor of one of largest cities. He is a fascinating (and funny) person with a deep knowledge of policy issues impacting local jurisdictions. He serves as Chair of the Metropolitan Mayors Consortium (which represents nearly all the Portland metro cities) and is on the board of the Oregon ...

Mingus Mapps is a Portland City Commissioner. He leads the Water Bureau, the Bureau of Environmental Services, and the Bureau of Emergency Communications (9-1-1). He is also an academic scholar who teachers courses on government. Mapps defeated incumbent Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and former mayor Sam Adams in the 2020 election. He is a unique figure in Portland politics; as you'll hear in the interview, he is whip smart and pra...

Republican operative and political consultant Reagan Knopp returns to the Bridge to deconstruct the Oregon Governor's race. With candidates including: Bridget Barton, Christine Drazan, John Fosdick III, Jessica Gomez, Nick Hess, Jim Huggins, Kerry McQuisten, Brandon Merritt, Bud Pierce, Stan Pulliam, Amber Richardson, Marc Thielman, Wilson Bright, Peter Hall, Tina Kotek, Tobias Read, Patrick Starnes, Michael Trimble, and Betsey...