Oregon – In the 2024 elections, Oregon experienced a notable shift toward progressive leadership, contrasting with a broader national trend favoring conservative candidates. This divergence underscores the state’s unique political landscape and highlights the growing polarization between urban and rural areas within Oregon. At the federal level Democrat Janelle Bynum flipped Oregon’s 5th Congressional District by defeating incumbent Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who has since been nominated to serve as Labor Secretary in the new Presidential administration. The Oregon legislature also returned to Democrat supermajorities in both the house and senate providing a further demonstration of bucking the national trend toward more conservative candidates and policies.
President Trump has been very active in his first two weeks back in office issuing executive orders with substantial impacts. Some of these orders have placed Oregon in the political crosshairs and elected officials have issued statements and policies in direct response to these orders. Newly elected Portland Mayor Keith Wilson issued a letter to the city council standing behind the city and states’ sanctuary policies following executive actions on immigration enforcement from the President. Governor Tina Kotek said in a video statement that she will “uphold Oregon’s sanctuary promise laws”.
A September 2024 poll from Gallup found that “80% of U.S. adults believe Americans are greatly divided on the most important values, while 18% believe the country is united”, pointing towards at least the perception of high levels of political tension nationwide. An article published in 2022 by the Oregon Values and Belief Center reported that “Almost nine in ten Oregonians say the U.S. is politically divided (88%). The same number say that they are somewhat or very worried about this division (88%)” and that “About one in five Oregonians believe it is possible to overcome national political division (28%). The most common response, though, is that people aren’t sure if we can move past division (41%)”. This indicates that
The urban vs rural divide in Oregon has become especially visible through the growing Greater Idaho movement. There are 14 counties on the Eastern side of the state that have passed measures in support of Greater Idaho, expressing their desire to separate politically from Oregon. The movement recently purchased billboards in Salem calling on state elected officials to “Release Eastern Oregon”.
Oregon has often been a state characterized by charting its own course and leading the nation in trying out policies before any other state. This recently included Measure 110 which aimed to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, treating possession as a civil violation rather than a criminal offense. It was also meant to push more resources to addiction treatment. Oregon was also the first state to institute vote by mail, decriminalize marijuana, legalize physician assisted suicide, and implement a “bottle bill”. Oregon was also the first state to make the coastline public property, an initiative started in 1913 and solidified in 1967 when Governor Tom McCall signed new legislation into law. This willingness to try new policies ahead of the rest of the nation was also accompanied by much debate and discussion before political divisions reached their current level.
From 1980 until 1993, Jack Faust—a substantial figure in Oregon public life—moderated Town Hall, a weekly public affairs television program on Channel 2. Town Hall featured discussions, often contentious, between public officials, experts and everyday Oregonians on topics that ranged from serious (like child abuse) to somewhat less so (like Bigfoot). In an effort to open more productive conversations amidst current political tensions, following in Jack Faust’s tradition, VET PAC Oregon, Right Now Oregon, and Madison’s Press are launching Town Hall 2025. Town Hall 2025 will be distributed through townhalloregon.com, as well as via Right Now Oregon’s website (rightnoworegon.com) and on social media.
Halfway through his run, Jack had on a young 16-year-old from Mt. Angel on his way to West Point, Daniel Crowe. Daniel, a 1991 graduate of West Point and Oregon’s inaugural Veterans’ Advocate, will serve as Town Hall 2025’s Moderator. Daniel is excited to “bring a passionate focus to the urgent challenges confronting Oregon and our beloved Nation, and is deeply honored to pick up the baton that Jack carried so well, with Jack’s blessing.”
Daniel stated that “Town Hall 2025 seeks to revive that spirit of robust, peaceable public debate which characterizes the “Oregon Way.” In so doing, we seek to honor Oregon’s once-proud tradition of calmly discussing even our thorniest disagreements concerning our shared public life.
Daniel grew up on a homestead farm along the Pudding River between Mount Angel and Gervais, amongst people for whom hard, physical work was just a part of life. Daniel served in the Army as a paratrooper, Army Ranger, West Point Cadet, and Cavalry Officer and then as an Army Judge Advocate after completing law school. In 2011 he returned to Oregon to serve as Oregon’s inaugural Veteran’s Advocate and was based out of the Metropolitan Public Defender’s office in downtown Portland. Daniel retired from the military with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 2016 Daniel ran for Oregon Attorney General on a platform of the non-partisan administration of justice and focusing on addressing public corruption which Oregon ranked last in the nation in prosecuting. Most recently he has been working as a Prosecutor in Central Oregon.
Town Hall 2025 begins with several Series focused on Oregon’s political parties. Since Oregon Republicans will select their new leaders first, Series 1 will be “The Race for Oregon Republican Party Chair, 2025.”
Series 1 will be released in mid-February 2025 ahead of the Oregon Republican Party’s officer elections. Moving forward the show will engage Oregonians in discussion on any issue within the public domain, working to bring communication to the forefront and go beyond partisan politics.
Daniel went on to explain the goal of doing a series on candidates for leadership positions in Oregon’s political parties. “By demystifying all of Oregon’s political parties, Town Hall 2025 seeks to inform, educate, and entertain our viewers—regardless of their political views—while sharing with our fellow Americans that most Oregonians of ideas: That talking with another is far better than shouting at one another” Daniel stated.
He went on to express that “as Oregon Governor Tom McCall once noted: “Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people, like you and me, who say: ‘This is my community, and it’s my responsibility to make it better’.” We look forward to future Series in which we tell the stories of Oregon’s and Southwest Washington’s unsung heroes who are working to make their communities better. Who knows? Maybe little tiny Oregon—with 1.15% of the National population—might once again provide our Nation something it desperately needs without realizing it, just as Oregon has done every 50 years throughout our proud history.”
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