Stump Talk Podcast

In Episode 21 of Stump Talk, Council President Jamie Dunphy takes us inside the 2026–27 budget process. We discuss why so many votes ended in a tie, and why one of the most labor-friendly councils in recent history could not find a compromise to reverse the mayor’s job cuts. You can catch the final budget adoption vote here on June 17 . Stump Talk is brough to you by Rose City Reform, a research a...

In Episode 20 of Stump Talk, we are joined by former Charter Commission members Robin Ye and Debbie Kitchin. They reflect on what problems charter reform was trying to solve, whether those fixes are working—and how Portlanders might judge the results for themselves. References in this episode: * Geography is Important, But It’s Not King - an Interview with Robin Ye (Rose City Reform) * You can fin...

In Episode 19 of the Stump Talk podcast, Alex Zielinski (OPB) and Shane Kavanaugh (The Oregonian) return to the studio to discuss the major themes of 2025—Portland’s first year under its reformed city charter. References in this episode: * Rose City Reform’s analysis of the 2025 voting record * Portland council couldn’t finish meeting intended to fix drawn-out meetings (Alex Zielinski, OPB) * A to...

This summer, three Portland city councilors—including District 4’s Mitch Green—caused a stir when they spent about $47,000 in taxpayer funds traveling to Vienna, Austria , to study one of the world’s most ambitious social housing systems . The trip was connected to a concept that may already have traction at City Hall. In April, the council voted unanimously to study whether Portland should adopt...

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson ran on a pledge to end unsheltered homelessness by 2026. Despite Multnomah County’s rising count of people living outside, he says he’s on track to deliver on that promise. In episode 17 of the Stump Talk podcast, Mayor Wilson returns to the studio to discuss his race against time to bring unsheltered Portlanders inside by year’s end . This episode also features comment...

City Hall reporters Shane Kavanaugh ( The Oregonian ), Sophie Peel ( Willamette Week ), and Alex Zielinski ( OPB ) join the podcast to take us inside the debates, alliances, and surprise twists that shaped the process. You can catch the final budget adoption vote here on June 18. Catch our guests' reporting here:. Willamette Week * Budget Season Reveals Two Clear Voting Blocs on City Council * Cou...

“Budgets are a negotiation, right?” In this episode, Rose City Reform chats with Elana Pirtle-Guiney and Eric Zimmerman about what to expect as the mayor’s budget hits the council floor on Wednesday. With big personalities and competing priorities on the line, sparks are likely to fly before councilors land on a final plan. Want to follow along as district reps make their case for what they believ...

Fair warning—this is our nerdiest episode yet. On the other hand, if you’re curious about how Portland’s new voting system is shifting political dynamics, this episode is for you. Moon Duchin is a mathematician who leads the Data and Democracy Lab at Cornell University. George Cheung is the founding director of More Equitable Democracy , a Seattle-based group focused on racial justice through elec...

OPB reporter Alex Zielinski and the Oregonian's Lillian Mongeau Hughes join the podcast to discuss city leaders' efforts to tackle homelessness amid a brutal budget cycle. If you care to weigh in on the city budget after listening to this episode, you can do so here . Stump Talk is hosted by Maja Viklands Harris. It is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a research and journalism initiative dedica...

Why did Sameer Kanal oppose one of Mayor Wilson’s top leadership choices? And what does he mean when he says he wants Portlanders to co-create policy with the council? These are just some of the topics discussed when Councilor Kanal and his chief of staff, Lisa Freeman, join the Stump Talk podcast. Stump Talk is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research initiative dedic...

We’re back with a bonus episode that takes you inside City Hall, where a brand-new government is finding its footing. Joining us are The Oregonian’s Shane Kavanaugh and Willamette Week’s Sophie Peel, who discuss the “first day of school” vibes at City Hall, Mayor Wilson’s seemingly unflappable optimism, and a council that must balance big promises with one of the toughest budget cycles in decades....

On January 2, Portland’s newly elected city council gathered for a highly anticipated vote: selecting the council president. Many had expected that leader to be Candace Avalos, a former charter commissioner and a key architect of Portland’s new system. Yet, after nine rounds of voting, Avalos narrowly lost to Elana Pirtle-Guiney. In Episode 10 of Stump Talk, Avalos and her District 1 colleague Jam...

Much has been said about how Portland’s new electoral system encouraged friendlier, more collaborative campaigning. Few candidates, however, worked as closely together as Tiffany Koyama Lane and Angelita Morillo. Were they Portland’s first example of a successful candidate slate? Tune in to Episode 9 of Stump Talk and decide for yourself. Councilor-Elect Tiffany Koyama Lane is a public school teac...

Did the landmark 2024 election deliver the change Portlanders were looking for? What were the big surprises? And does Keith Wilson’s win signal a mandate for his shelter plan? These are just a few of the topics we dive into on the latest episode of the Stump Talk podcast. That’s a wrap, Portlanders! Our historic 2024 election has concluded, and a new city government is set to take shape—well, almo...

What’s Carmen Rubio’s vision for a safe and affordable Portland? Why does she believe she’s the only mayoral candidate with the experience to forge the deals needed to tackle Portland’s toughest challenges? Those are just some of the topics we discuss in the latest episode of the Stump Talk podcast. Carmen Rubio made history in 2021, as the first Latina elected to Portland City Council. As commiss...

How does Rene Gonzalez plan to become the strictest mayor on the West Coast in terms of enforcing public camping and drug use laws? And what’s his plan for keeping Portland “healthy, beautiful, and safe”? These are just some of the topics we’ll cover with the city commissioner in Episode 6 of the  Stump Talk  podcast. Elected to Portland City Council in 2022, Rene Gonzalez is currently serving his...

How does Keith Wilson plan to get Portlanders off the streets and into shelters? How will his business background influence his approach to managing Portland’s budget? Those are just some of the topics we discuss in the latest episode of the Stump Talk podcast. Keith Wilson is the President of Titan Freight Systems, a regional transportation company. He is also the founder of Shelter Portland, a n...

Over a decade ago, Nathan Vasquez did one of the toughest things required by his job at the Multnomah County DA’s office: he called the grieving family of a gun violence victim. The person who answered was the victim’s brother, Vince Jones-Dixon. Today, both men have been elected to serve Multnomah County. In this episode, we’ll learn about the unexpected bond between these two officeholders, dati...

Stump Talk Episode 3: "Leaders Who Can Walk and Chew Gum at the Same Time" Can labor and business agree on who should be our new city leaders? Why do voters need “validators” to vet candidates? What drives political interest groups to spend money on key races? The answers may surprise you. Welcome to the latest episode of Stump Talk. In this episode, we’re joined by Laurie Wimmer, Executive Secret...

Are candidates making promises they can’t keep? Who represents the status quo in Portland politics? What’s the “fed-up caucus?” And why is “summer camp” over for council candidates? These are just some of the issues we discuss in the latest episode of Stump Talk. Our guests are Alex Zielinski, City Hall reporter for OPB, and Nathan Williams, the filmmaker behind The Experiment , a documentary foll...

In our inaugural episode, we sit down with Sophie Peel, City Hall reporter for Willamette Week, and Shane Kavanaugh, who covers City Hall for The Oregonian. Together, we delve into the candidates and key themes shaping the 2024 election. Please note, the opinions expressed belong to the guests and do not reflect those of Rose City Reform. In this episode, two excellent articles are referenced. One...