Dirk VanderHart
JPR Oregon State Capitol CorrespondentDirk VanderHart covers Oregon politics and government for Oregon Public Broadcasting, a JPR news partner. His reporting comes to JPR through the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington. Before barging onto the radio in 2018, Dirk spent more than a decade as a newspaper reporter—much of that time reporting on city government for the Portland Mercury.
-
The gubernatorial rematch between Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan is the state’s most closely watched race this year. -
Early returns on Election Night show the Democratic incumbent ahead. -
After years of criticizing the practice of turning in ballots on behalf of sympathetic voters, GOP leaders are beginning to see it as a tool they can use to help boost the party's candidates. -
Democrats aim to pad supermajorities in the House and Senate, while Republicans are looking to claw back ground. -
Kotek said she will request state funding to help Silver Rail Elementary recover from the attack. -
But as she seeks another four years, the Democrat says she hasn’t communicated success to voters. -
Officials have named 5-year-old kindergartener Rhoam Summer and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert among the dead. -
Police Chief Mike Krantz said the shooter scaled a fence around Silver Rail Elementary moments before the tragedy unfolded. -
Officials said children aged 5, 8 and 11 died in the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School on Thursday. A teacher was also killed. -
The two candidates for governor met in Bend Tuesday night for their final debate, touching on issues specific to Central and Eastern Oregon — and included plenty of familiar lines. -
The Democratic governor has granted in-person interviews to a cast of social media users this year. -
Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan continued to try to distinguish themselves for voters during their meeting in Medford.
