Oregon, as much as any state, is known for its progressive politics. The quirky 2010s Portlandia-era progressivism of the state’s largest city made that city, and by extension the state it dominates politically, a haven for people who care deeply about the provenance of the chicken they are about to eat, and who care even more about voting Democratic.
Oregon’s reputation as a deep-blue, progressive state is both accurate and well-earned. For generations now, Oregonians have voted Democratic with a fervor they otherwise reserve only for hiking and driving Subarus. In 1984 Oregon voters elected a Republican governor and supported the GOP presidential ticket. They have done neither of those things since. Meanwhile, aside from brief periods in the mid-1990s, Democrats have dominated both houses of the state legislature and its congressional delegation. There are nearly three registered Democrats for every two registered Republicans in the state.
Comments