Thoughts of a retired journalist and communications specialist on media, politics and messaging.
Portland, OR
Joined October 2018
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How winners interpret election results is almost as important as who wins. @Jeff_Eager crunches numbers to compare Oregon's governor's race to others. Tina Kotek should take a humble view of her win & acknowledge she rode a wave, not her record to victory.
oregonroundup.substack.com/p…
Vance already is trying to distance himself from Trump before running for president in 2028. It won't work. Rs needs someone who has never served with Trump, preferably a successful governor who could build a new coalition. My choice would be Spencer Cox of Utah. #Election2028
Texas Gov. Gina Hinojosa becomes a very important figure for Democrats. If she does well it increases their chances of winning Texas 2028. If she does poorly it helps Republicans. And Rs can't win the presidency without winning Texas.
The biggest changes from #Election2026 will be in states like Texas and Georgia that elected a governor from a different party. Trump's veto will prevent Ds from doing much in Congress. Even passing budgets will be difficult. Expect multiple government shutdowns.
Hester Communications retweeted
Quick rundown of conservative ballot initiatives that passed in swing states last night:
-North Carolina: property tax limit, constitutional cap on income tax at 3.5%, and voter ID
-Wisconsin: affirmative action ban and limiting governor's power to raise taxes
-Iowa: 2/3 majority required to raise income tax rates
-Ohio: voter ID
Voters in swing states approved a lot of conservative ballot measures while voting for anti-Trump candidates.
If Democrats lurch far left on policy, the voters who gave them an enormous victory on Tuesday will be strongly tempted to switch back to the GOP or stay home in future elections.
@PostOpinions
washingtonpost.com/opinions/…
Just heard a great quote from a guest on @CNBC. "I don't think you look at (Trump) so much as a lame duck but more as a wounded bear." As we all know wounded bears are dangerous. #Election2026
No, but he couldn't have delivered on the bulk of his campaign promises even if he had avoided that colossal mistake. Ds "promise problem" is Medicare for All. They can't deliver it on the terms voters wants: "the rich" pay for it and there's no reduction in quality of care.
This is true. It doesn't mean Rs will win the White House in 2028, or even reclaim House & Senate seats, but they will do better than they would have if Ds had not taken control of House & Senate. Ds now will share responsibility for what happens the next 2 years.
Hester Communications retweeted
Since I’m one of like four limited government conservatives left in this country, here’s my election season reminder that if government did/spent less, election outcomes would matter less.
These wide pendulum swings will continue because neither party is able to deliver on the unrealistic promises they make to get elected.
Some predictions for the next 2 years:
*Democrats will not be able to deliver on key promises because: 1. Trump will veto everything and 2. Many of the promises are unachievable.
*Turmoil the next 2 years will be much worse than the past 2 as Trump digs in & creates chaos.
I think the @Portland_State professor quoted in the article understates how much we should be concerned. Saying Portland is similar to 3 of the most liberal cities in the U.S. and one of the most rapidly declining cities shouldn't encourage us. #population oregonlive.com/business/2026…
With the deadline to vote approaching, I'm reposting this column. Every voter should consider these four questions. Doesn't matter if you answer them differently than me and vote differently, the state needs everyone to consider the questions facing us.
oregonroundup.substack.com/p…
This is a good proposal. Hope the city and #Blazers take it seriously.
oregonroundup.substack.com/p…
"While taxing the wealthy could raise substantial sums, it couldn’t even stabilize Washington’s historically large budget deficit, much less finance major new spending, according to two reports released this month."
washingtonpost.com/business/…
At best, Kotek's answer would produce long-term benefits but no immediate relief (and that's only if you assume she magically boost childcare availability without raising taxes); Drazan's ideas are immediately possible, even without legislative support. oregonlive.com/politics/2026…
Worth remembering when you vote: Reproductive rights are constitutionally protected regardless of who is governor; vote by mail is convenient but doesn't help your family's budget; Oregon probably will be safer for everyone with a governor who is concerned about crime.
In fairness, editorial boards by definition offer opinions. My biggest issue with The Oregonian (admittedly not unbiased since I used to work there) & with most news sources is in selection of what to cover. You can't cover everything so story selection shows your priorities.
Good and fair quote.
🚨 Drazan: Oregon went from TOP 20 to BOTTOM 8.
@ChristineDrazan: “Oregon was a top-20 economy just four years ago, and she drop-kicked it into the bottom eight in four years.”
“We’ve lost 25,000 jobs in a single year here.”
Her message to Oregonians: “I don’t care what your party affiliation is. If you believe this is not good enough for you and your family… I need people to turn out to get this done.”