Lauren Dake
Lauren Dake is a political reporter and producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Before OPB, Lauren spent nearly a decade working as a print reporter. She’s covered politics and rural issues in Oregon and Washington. She’s spent time in a maximum-security prison in Bogota, Colombia (for a story!) and sat in a sweat lodge on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
Send Lauren the best story ideas.
Latest Stories

‘OPB Politics Now’: The Republican agenda in Oregon
On this week's show, OPB political reporters Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart look at the Republican Party's agenda for the 2023 Oregon legislative session, and the GOP's plans to slow things down if Democrats don't cooperate.

Oregon governor explains how she wants to spend $130 million in homelessness money
The governor believes the money should be spent to stave off homelessness for about 9,000 people and to expand shelter capacity by 600 beds within one year, among other things.

‘OPB Politics Now’: The Oregon legislature returns, and Sam Adams leaves
On this week's show, we look at the biggest challenges facing the 2023 Oregon legislature and the big complaints that led Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler to fire one of his predecessors, Sam Adams.

Despite Oregon’s many problems, state lawmakers begin 2023 legislative session optimistic
Oregon lawmakers begin the 2023 legislative session on a hopeful note
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Oregon Legislature begins 2023 work with focus on housing and homelessness
When the 2023 Oregon legislative session begins in earnest on Tuesday, there will be new leadership, a host of new faces and some very familiar problems.

‘OPB Politics Now’: Tina Kotek gets to work
On this week's episode of "OPB Politics Now," we look at Tina Kotek's first week as Oregon governor and the big promises she's made on homelessness.

After leading Oregon through nonstop crises, Gov. Kate Brown leaves office with a complicated legacy
Brown’s supporters believe history will judge her kindly; that she’ll be remembered for offering a steady hand during a time of crisis. Someone who could collaborate and listen, a person that didn’t obsess about who would get the credit. The majority of Oregonians agree with Brown’s politics -- they just elected a person whose values most closely align with Brown as our next governor. But with the outgoing incumbent, perception and reality have not always aligned. Even when people seemingly agreed with Brown’s policies, her approval ratings tanked.

Brown appoints 2 Oregon Supreme Court judges in her final days as governor
When Kate Brown leaves office, she will have appointed every justice on the state’s highest court. She also announced other judicial appointments Wednesday.

Federal data confirms Oregon spike in homelessness
A new federal report shows what most Oregonians already know: The number of people sleeping on the streets in this state has spiked.

Oregon Secretary of State looking into donation made from disgraced crypto-currency company to state Democrats
Federal prosecutors aren’t the only ones digging into Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of the cryptocurrency exchange company, FTX.