OPB’s First Look: What to watch in Oregon politics this year

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Good morning, Northwest.

It’s a new year, and Oregon will have a short legislative session, gubernatorial race and midterm congressional elections.

OPB reporters kick off the first full week of January 2026 with a look at five of the biggest stories in Oregon politics this year.

Also this morning, “Dry January Fest” in Portland celebrates innovation in nonalcoholic beverages.

Here’s your First Look at Monday’s news.

—Bradley W. Parks

5 things to watch in Oregon politics in 2026

It was a turbulent year in Oregon politics.

Portland drudged through its first year under a new government and mayor.

President Donald Trump’s return to the White House brought major changes to the federal government, an immigration crackdown and widespread protests.

Democrats held a majority in the state but struggled to make headway on some of Oregon’s top issues, including education, housing and transportation.

There are no signs that things will slow down in 2026. Here are five political stories to follow this year. (Bryce Dole, Alex Zielinski and Dirk VanderHart)

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3 things to know this morning

• While the Portland area will see mild weather this week, other parts of Oregon are facing a mix of winter weather — mountain snow building in the south, strong winds easing in parts of Eastern Oregon, and minor coastal flooding expected during high tides. (OPB staff) 
• Twelve months ago, Portland embarked on a new chapter in the city’s nearly 175-year history, establishing a new form of government. With a year of experience under their belts, leaders could explore the full potential of this new system in 2026. (Alex Zielinski)
• Oregon is in its second year of a survey of more than 180,000 students to learn how they feel about school. Here’s what we learned from the latest batch of results. (Elizabeth Miller)

The quest for the quietest spot in Oregon

How can you find a place that is truly quiet? And what would that be like? Ed Jahn, former executive producer of OPB’s “Oregon Field Guide,” takes us to that place. (Ed Jahn and Julie Sabatier)

Listen

Headlines from around the Northwest

• 4 Oregonians die in Arizona helicopter crash (Joni Auden Land)
• Siletz tribes seek to limit motorboats along river to protect ancestral fishing grounds (April Ehrlich)
• As evidence of Idaho homeowners insurance crisis mounts, so does bipartisan concern (Murphy Woodhouse)
• Signatures filed for Washington initiatives on parental rights, blocking trans athletes from girls’ sports (Bill Lucia)
• Eugene trans musician on finding his register and duetting with himself (Nathan Wilk)
• A group plans to open the first queer nightclub in the Rogue Valley (Roman Battaglia)
• A Douglas County center that helps abused children struggles to stay open (Justin Higginbottom)

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

• Portland author says we can harness our grief about climate change

‘Dry January Fest’ attracts hundreds in Portland, as demand spikes for booze-free drinks

A line snaked around the lobby of McMenamins Kennedy School Hotel in Northeast Portland on Saturday. Hundreds gathered for the company’s first-ever Dry January Fest, a showcase of the bubbling interest in nonalcoholic beverages.

More people have been participating in Dry January, when people swear off alcohol for the month following the excesses of the holidays.

The festival comes as enthusiasm for nonalcoholic drinks has spiked. A Gallup poll published in August 2025 found that 54% of Americans said they drink alcohol, the lowest percentage since Gallup began studying the figure 90 years ago. (Joni Auden Land)

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