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Four candidates vying for the Republican nomination in the race for Oregon governor took the stage last night for their first debate of the primary season.

OPB’s Lauren Dake reports from Hillsboro on what may have been a rare opportunity to see all of the candidates share the debate stage.

In other news, Oregon’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction program faces a fresh legal challenge.

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Here’s your First Look at Friday’s news.

— Bradley W. Parks

Republican gubernatorial debate features barbs at Kotek, little daylight between candidates

The four leading Republicans in the race for Oregon governor used their first debate on Thursday night to indict Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek for ruining the state’s education system, crushing the economy and poorly managing the forests.

It’s obvious it’s an election year, said state Sen. Christine Drazan of Canby. Because Kotek “suddenly recognizes our economy is in the toilet,” noting the recently formed Prosperity Council.

The candidates hit predictable themes – calling for more accountability in state agencies, slashing taxes, easing regulations and making Oregon more business friendly.

“We haven’t had a governor with a business background in over 40 years,” said Chris Dudley, the nominee from 2010 and former Trail Blazer. “And it shows.”

They mostly took aim at one-party Democratic control and largely avoided jabbing at each other. (Lauren Dake)

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3 things to know

• Months before a high-profile group appointed by Gov. Tina Kotek is due to release recommendations for juicing Oregon’s sluggish economy, disagreements are spilling into the open. (Dirk VanderHart)
• Among other cuts, the Multnomah County chair seeks to close more than 600 homeless shelter beds to shrink a major funding gap. (Bryce Dole)
• More than two dozen groups are once again challenging Oregon’s authority to implement the Climate Protection Program. (Monica Samayoa)

Northwest headlines

• Oregon attorney general sues ‘sham’ disaster-relief nonprofit that spent thousands on casinos, strip clubs (Troy Brynelson)
• Gov. Kotek vetoes controversial bill overhauling Oregon public meetings law (Alex Zielinski)
• Portland’s Lloyd Center to permanently close on Aug. 8 ahead of demolition (Kyra Buckley and Lillian Karabaic)
• Medical examiner’s office confirms missing family found in Columbia River (OPB staff)
• Kotek order blocks Oregon school districts from cutting instruction time to patch budget holes (Elizabeth Miller and Rob Manning)
• Eugene school district considers renaming César Chávez Elementary School (Natalie Pate)

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:

• First year of Washington County’s deflection program shows progress, areas to improve
• How charitable donation bins in Oregon, and around the US, can be deadly
• Portland’s Fertile Ground Festival of new plays offers audiences an enormous variety

Superabundant recipe: Greet Oregon strawberry season with this glorious tiramisu

Superabundant newsletter writer Heather Ardnt Anderson was planning an easy yet elegant alternative to classic strawberry shortcake for this week.

It was set to be a basic non-recipe recipe.

But then she smelled the perfectly ripe Albions at the fancy grocery store — the pulchritude! The olfactory poetry!

Ripe strawberries are transcendent, all at once offering sweetness, umami and bright acidity, like a slightly tropical rose with a hint of burnt sugar.

Her original idea was already edging toward tiramisu territory, so she figured she may as well just make a whole casserole pan of the stuff. (Heather Arndt Anderson)

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/17/republican-governor-debate-oregon-first-look/