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Good morning, Northwest.
Gov. Tina Kotek and Sen. Christine Drazan shared the debate stage for the first time of this year’s gubernatorial campaign last night.
OPB politics reporter Lauren Dake breaks down the candidates’ messages to start today’s newsletter.
In other news, Oregon is finally set to build an EV fast charger with federal money it was awarded years ago.
Here’s your First Look at Friday’s news.
— Bradley W. Parks
Top story
Oregon state Sen. Christine Drazan, left, and Gov. Tina Kotek shake hands at the end of the gubernatorial debate on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Ore., on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026.
Will Yurman/Pool LookOut Eugene-Springfield
Kotek, Drazan trade barbs at first debate of 2026 Oregon governor’s race
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan spent much of their first debate last night in Eugene trying to discredit one another.
The two candidates, who also faced each other in the 2022 race for governor, fielded questions from a panel of journalists on a wide range of topics from affordability, data centers and education funding to the economy and wildfire mitigation.
Throughout it all, they stuck to largely familiar themes. The governor repeatedly tried to tie Drazan to the Trump administration and unpopular federal policies. And Drazan continued to paint Kotek as a candidate who is afraid to run on her own record and whose main solution to the state’s myriad crises is to raise taxes. (Lauren Dake)
3 things to know
Left image: An undated image of a barred owl at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. Right image: A northern spotted owl in the Deschutes National Forest in 2003.
Left image: Ray Bosch/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; Right image: Don Ryan/AP / OPB
- Oregon is finally expected to break ground on its first federally funded EV fast charging station this month. It comes more than a year after the Trump administration’s reversal of Biden-era climate policies and a federal funding freeze. (Monica Samayoa)
- University of Oregon officials sent out a community safety warning about five reported sexual assaults on or near its Eugene campus in the past week. (Natalie Pate)
- Contractors yesterday began shooting invasive barred owls inside the Elliott State Research Forest, an 83,000-acre state-owned territory, in an effort to protect northern spotted owl populations. (Courtney Sherwood)
Live from Beaverton: Oregon governor’s race, suburban races and more
Ballots are going out in a couple weeks. Campaigns are ramping up. Tensions are rising. On the latest episode of “OPB Politics Now,” we hosted a live taping from the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton. (Lauren Dake, Dirk VanderHart, Elena Neale-Sacks, Holly Bartholomew and Bryce Dole)
Northwest headlines
FILE - Andrea Bell, director of Oregon Housing and Community Services, at a groundbreaking ceremony in 2025.
Oregon Housing and Community Services
- $10 million political check is not aimed at any particular Oregon race this year, union says (Dirk VanderHart)
- Portland Metro Chamber CEO sues city over arts tax increase (Alex Zielinski)
- Her agency distributes billions for Oregon housing projects. Her husband’s company helped develop some of them (Rob Davis, ProPublica)
- Fred Meyer faces federal discrimination suit over treatment of 2 pregnant employees at Vancouver store (Kyra Buckley)
- Roseburg City Council votes down yet another urban campground proposal (Jane Vaughan, JPR)
- El Niño could put Washington’s coastal towns in hot water (John Ryan, KUOW)
- Portland Trail Blazers fire brand-new announcer for racist, sexist tweets (OPB staff)
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):
- New book co-authored by PSU professor explores women in comics
- Portland’s Alano Club expands naloxone access with new Project Red funding
One more look
Usher in the season of cozy autumn desserts with this rustic pear tarte Tatin with sea salt and thyme caramel
Heather Arndt Anderson / OPB
Superabundant recipe: Autumn dessert season inspires this pear tarte Tatin with sea salt caramel
This rustic pear tarte Tatin with sea salt and thyme caramel isn’t just an elegant dessert — it’s classified in the “Surprise! It is upside-down!” family of exciting stunt desserts.
Even without a thrilling open flame (looking at you, bananas foster), there are many opportunities to seriously burn yourself!
That won’t happen to you, though. Probably. (Heather Arndt Anderson)
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