Are You With Carmen or Rene?
Welcome to Stump Talk, your nifty end-of-the-month candidate tracker.
In July, political lines became clearer as council candidates showed their allegiances to mayoral rivals Rene Gonzalez and Carmen Rubio.
Rubio and Gonzalez as Political Barometers
As election season intensifies, candidates for Portland City Council are increasingly rallying behind the platforms of mayoral frontrunners Rene Gonzalez and Carmen Rubio. In crowded council races, where candidates often struggle to capture enough media attention to communicate their messages to voters, an association with Rubio or Gonzalez can boost visibility and provide useful cues about candidates’ ideological leanings.
An ongoing candidate interview series in the Willamette Week highlights this trend. Out of the six council candidates quizzed so far, four identified Rubio—a staunch progressive—as the sitting council member they most align with. The other two chose Gonzalez, a moderate Democrat whose platform revolves around public safety and livability issues.
Emerging Alliances
So, which council candidates have gotten the nod from Rubio and Gonzalez? To date, Rubio has been most generous with her endorsements, backing 11 council candidates. Names range from some of the most progressive candidates in the field, such as teacher and union organizer Tiffany Koyama Lane in District 3, to more pragmatic contenders like City Commissioner Dan Ryan in District 2. While Gonzalez has not yet issued any formal endorsements, he has publicly expressed support for small business owner Terrence Hayes in District 1 and police officer Eli Arnold in District 4.
Who joined and exited the race?
July introduced three new mayoral candidates and three new council contenders. Nancy Congdon, president and founder of the asset management firm Blue Water Wealth, is running for Portland mayor. She’s joined by maintenance supervisor Dustin Witherspoon, and Yao Jun He, who lists work experience with the Chinese government as a qualification.
In District 1, former Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith confirmed months of speculation by announcing her bid, raising over $11,000 in the first weeks of campaigning. Meanwhile, District 4 saw three new candidates join the race: physician Thomas Dodson, engineering consultant Kevin Goldsmith, and hotel front manager Ciatta Thompson. Also in District 4, Jeremy Beausoleil Smith withdrew from the ballot for personal reasons.
The filing window for city seats closes on August 27.
Interest Groups Pick Favorites
Multiple interest groups unveiled their picks for mayor and council last month. The Portland Fire Fighters Association, after backing Rene Gonzalez for mayor, endorsed 11 council candidates across all four districts. The Portland Police Association has also endorsed Gonzalez, along with six council candidates.
The Working Families Party of Oregon announced its first round of endorsements, selecting multiple progressive candidates. The social justice group Portland For All also made its picks in Districts 1 and 3, while the livability-focused group Future Portland published a list of “candidates to watch”.
Gonzalez and Rubio Qualify for Public Financing
Mayoral candidates Rene Gonzalez and Carmen Rubio both reached campaign milestones in July by qualifying for matching funds from Portland’s public campaign financing program. Both candidates have collected and certified 750 small contributions from individual Portlanders, earning them respective payouts of $100,000. Not counting public financing, Gonzalez has raised approximately $170,700, while Rubio has amassed roughly $103,600. Trucking company executive Keith Wilson holds the third fundraising spot with nearly $85,000 raised.
Source: Oregon Secretary of State
Routh Is Still Top Fundraiser, But Others Are Catching Up
Transportation advocate Steph Routh (D1) continues to lead fundraising among council candidates, amassing over $137,000, including $80,000 in public campaign financing. Trailing her is anti-hunger advocate Angelita Morillo (D3) with $128,100, also bolstered by $80,000 in public funds. In third place is City Commissioner Dan Ryan (D2), who has raised nearly $119,000, with $40,000 coming from public campaign financing. Other candidates with significant fundraising progress include City of Portland manager Tiffani Penson (D2), public school teacher and union organizer Tiffany Koyama Lane (D3), and former City Commissioner Steve Novick (D3).
Source: Oregon Secretary of State
And now, without further ado, here’s your July candidate roundup. For personalized profiles of all city candidates, please visit Rose City Reform’s expanded candidate tracker.
Candidates for Portland Mayor
Shei'Meka (BeUtee) As-Salaam (no website)
Yao Jun He (no website)
Dustin Witherspoon
Incumbent:
Ted Wheeler (not seeking reelection)
Candidates for Portland City Council:
Each district elects three representatives.
DISTRICT 1 (D1) - East Portland
Joe Furi (no website)
Michael Sands (no website)
Thomas Shervey (no website)
Loretta Smith (no website)
DISTRICT 2 (D2) - North/Northeast
Potential
Erin Crum (candidate committee)
Exited race:
Joseph Emerson
Marc Koller
Brooklyn Sherman
District 3 (D3) - Central/Southeast Portland
Melodie Beirwagen (no website)
Kenneth Landgraver (no website)
David O’Connor (no website)
Terry Parker (no website)
Exited race:
Robin Ye
District 4 (D4) - West Portland and the Reed, Sellwood and Westmoreland Neighborhoods
Patrick Cashman (no website)
Thomas Dodson (no website)
Brandon Farley (no website)
Ciatta Thompson (no website)
Exited race:
Chomba Kaluba, Jeremy Beausoleil Smith
" Trailing her is anti-hunger advocate Angelita Morillo (D3) with $128,100"
Anti-hunger? LOL. Oh come on. Morillo is one who justifies shoplifting as an acceptable practice. Plus she supports firearm carrying. Very frightening.
Easy choice. Rene Gonzalez, the pragmatic Latino.