Category Politics
After Supreme Court decision, abortion rights are on the ballot in Oregon
Hundreds of people marched down Court Street in Salem on Tuesday, May 3 for an abortion rights rally following the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion which would overturn Roe v. Wade (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Abortion rights will be on the ballot in November…
Woodburn officials brace for release of police records about mayor, massage parlor
Woodburn Mayor Eric Swenson, right, and Councilor Debbie Cabrales, left, listen to Councilor Robert Carney during a meeting at Woodburn City Hall on Monday, July 11, 2022. (Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle) WOODBURN – Elected officials in this small city northeast of Salem are bracing for…
New poll shows reasons for Republican optimism in Oregon legislative races
The floor of the Oregon House, which has been controlled by Democrats since 2013 (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Republicans haven’t controlled any branch of Oregon government since Barack Obama’s first campaign for president – but they’re bullish this year about their legislative chances. An internal poll…
Oregon gun safety measure poised to appear on November ballot
Oregonians will consider a ballot initiative in 2022 that would require completed background checks for gun purchases and ban large-capacity magazines (M&R Glasgow/Flickr) Supporters of a gun safety ballot initiative say they have gathered more than enough signatures to guarantee a statewide vote on a…
After Supreme Court overturned Roe, LGBTQ advocates worry about what’s next
Demonstrators in support of transgender students outside the Salem-Keizer School District Student Services Support Center on Monday, April 11, 2022 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) The U.S. Supreme Court’s Friday ruling overturning Roe v. Wade doesn’t immediately affect access to reproductive health care in Oregon, but LGBTQ…
Keizer-area Senate nominee’s sudden step down raises eyebrows
Rep. Teresa Alonso Leon, left, lost her congressional race but may have a chance of returning to the Legislature after Senate nominee Eric Swenson dropped out. (Ron Cooper/Oregon Capital Chronicle) A state representative who couldn’t win her primary for Congress could get a second chance…
Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader one of two Democrats to vote against Congressional gun control package
U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Oregon’s Rep. Kurt Schrader was one of only two congressional Democrats to vote against a sweeping gun package Wednesday. The “Protecting Our Kids Act,” which passed the U.S. House on a largely party-line vote on Wednesday, would raise…
Oregon groups appeal to president over concerns of white supremacist threats
President Joe Biden speaks to a small crowd of Oregon officials, union workers and reporters in Portland on Thursday, April 21. (Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle) After a white supremacist recently killed 10 Black shoppers at a grocery store in New York, Reyna Lopez started to…
Uncertainty looms over first open Oregon governor’s race in two decades
The three candidates for Oregon governor are Democrat Tina Kotek (left), Betsy Johnson, running unaffiliated (center) and Republican Christine Drazan (right). (Campaign photos) As counties tallied primary ballots, one fact became evident: the next Oregon governor will be a woman with legislative experience. Everything else…