Happy 2024 - and Welcome to Stump Talk!
Your Monthly Guide to Portland's 2024 Election.
Welcome to Stump Talk!
This new section of the Rose City Reform blog is your go-to source for tracking the landmark 2024 Portland election. At the end of every month, Rose City Reform will send you a concise roundup of the latest election developments.
This will complement, not replace, Rose City Reform’s regular content, which delves into deeper analysis and commentary on Portland’s ongoing reform process.
Our commitment to you is simple: we'll keep you updated on the race for Portland's fourteen city seats without cluttering your inbox.
So, without further ado, let's dive into the latest!
Rene Gonzalez Surges Ahead: City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez has taken a decisive fundraising lead in the race for Portland’s mayor. According to the City of Portland, Gonzalez has raised nearly $70,000. In contrast, City Commissioner Mingus Mapps, another mayoral candidate, has raised just over $40,000.
The Campaign Financing Crunch: With ten months until the election, Rene Gonzalez may have already raised nearly 25% of his allowable campaign funds. Why? Gonzalez is participating in the Small Donor Elections program, which offers a 9-1 match on the first $20 from individual donors. However, since the city council hasn't increased the program's funding to accommodate the expansion from six to fourteen elected positions, Small Donor Elections is experiencing a budget shortfall. Consequently, fundraising caps for the mayor’s race may soon plummet from $750,000 to $300,000, while the limit for council races could drop from $300,000 to $120,000. For more details, read OPB’s report.
Mayor Wheeler’s Crucial Budget Decision: During upcoming budget deliberations, Mayor Wheeler will have the opportunity to propose additional funding for the public campaign financing program. Interestingly, Wheeler may also be the only public official who’s not conflicted on the decision. Commissioners Mapps, Gonzalez, Rubio, and Ryan are all either actively campaigning or considering bids. That gives Wheeler significant leverage since his proposal could swing the available funds by as much as $450,000 for commissioners running for mayor.
Steve Novick Returns to Council Politics: Former City Commissioner Steve Novick is running for a seat in District 3. He recently appeared on KOIN’s Eye on NW Politics, discussing key issues like homelessness and public safety. Novick recently penned an op-ed titled "Make America 1973 Again” for the political blog and newsletter Oregon 360.
Spotlight on Angelita Morillo: District 3 candidate, policy advocate, and social media influencer Angelita Morillo was featured on Bike Portland’s podcast this week.
Catch More Candidate Interviews: For more candidate interviews, check out Progress Portland’s podcast. Episodes include conversations with Chad Lykins (District 4), Chris Flanary (District 3), David Burnell (District 2), Angelita Morillo (District 3), and Steph Routh (District 1).
Have a tip on the election? We’d love to hear from you! Just hit 'reply' to this email and share your insights with us.
Top fundraisers according to the City of Portland:
Rene Gonzalez (Mayor) $69,909.
Mingus Mapps (Mayor): $42,560.
Steph Routh (Council District 1): $26,921.
Olivia Clark (Council District 4): $26,505.
Angelita Morillo (Council District 3): $23,531.
Source: Portland’s Small Donor Elections Program. Please note that reporting is delayed, and some candidates may have raised higher amounts.
Candidates for Portland Mayor:
Declared (most recent on top)
Rene Gonzalez (Attorney, Current City Commissioner)
Durrell Kinsey Bey (Youth Essentials Coordinator, Reap, Inc.)
Mingus Mapps (Political Scientist, Current City Commissioner)
Potential:
Incumbent:
Ted Wheeler (not seeking reelection)
Candidates for Portland City Council:
Each district elects three representatives. There are no actual incumbents since the repeal of the commission form of government voids the existing City Council. Therefore, sitting commissioners are listed as “pseudo-incumbents” in the district where they live.
DISTRICT 1 - EAST PORTLAND
Declared (most recent on top)
Terrence Hayes (President, Restore Nuisance Abatement)
Thomas Shervey (Office Assistant, Multnomah County)
Candace Avalos (Executive Director, environmental organization Verde)
Deian Salazar (Autism Rights Advocate)
Jamie Dunphy (Government Relations Director, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network)
David Linn (Executive Assistant, Oregon Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology)
Timur Ender (Project Manager, engineering firm WSP)
Steph Routh (Organizational Development Consultant, Steph Routh & Team, LLC)
Potential
Kevin McKay (candidate committee)
Sonja McKenzie (candidate committee)
Former County Commissioner Loretta Smith (rumored)
DISTRICT 2 - NORTH/NORTHEAST
Declared (most recent on top)
Alan Blake (information pending, notice of intent filed 12/14/23)
Reuben Berlin (Banker, U.S. Bank)
Laura Streib (Executive Director, Vibe of Portland)
Jonathan Tasini (Organizational and Communications Strategist)
James Armstrong (President, Alberta Eye Care)
Mariah Hudson (Senior Communications Specialist, OHSU)
John Middleton (Entrepreneur)
Marc Koller (Senior Learning Consultant)
Joseph Emerson (Software Engineer, LegalZoom)
Christopher Olson (Communication Specialist, Neighborhood Health Center,)
Brooklyn Sherman (Bus Driver, Portland Public Schools)
David Burnell (Substance Abuse Counselor, Fora Health)
Debbie Kitchin (Owner, Commercial Contracting Firm InterWorks LLC)
Potential
Former Mayor Sam Adams (rumored)
PPS School Board Chair Michelle dePass (rumored)
Marnie Glickman (rumored)
Pseudo-incumbents:
Dan Ryan (rumored to run for city council or Multnomah County District 2)
Carmen Rubio (rumored to run for mayor)
District 3 - Central/Southeast
Declared (most recent on top)
Steve Novick (attorney, former City Commissioner)
Rex Burkholder (Strategy and Story guy, The Oxalis Group)
Tiffany Koyama Lane (Teacher, Portland Public Schools)
Matthew Anderson (Air Force Veteran)
Daniel DeMelo (Software Engineer, Appfigures)
Robin Ye (Chief of Staff to Rep. Khan Pham)
Angelita Morillo (Policy Advocate, Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon)
Jesse Cornett (Client District Manager, ADP)
Sandeep Bali (Pharmacist, CVS)
Chris Flanary (Housing Program Specialist, City of Portland)
Pseudo-incumbent:
Mingus Mapps (running for mayor)
District 4 - West
Declared (most recent on top)
Eli Arnold (Police Officer, City of Portland)
Moses Ross (Chair, Multnomah Neighborhood Association, Community Activist)
Michael DiNapoli (Event Technology Engineer, People's AV Co.)
Sarah Silkie (Engineer, City of Portland)
Olivia Clark, (Neighborhood Activist, Former Legislative Director)
Chad Lykins (Founder, Rose City Chess)
Tony Morse (Policy & Advocacy Director, Oregon Recovers)
Potential
Stephen Hall (candidate committee)
John Toran (candidate committee)
County Commissioner Sharon Meieran (rumored)
Pseudo-incumbent:
Rene Gonzalez (tunning for mayor)
Portland Auditor
Declared
Simone Rede (incumbent, Portland City Auditor)