Portland Mayor Race Heats Up

Photo by Courtney Vaughn / Portland Mercury

A political melee of sorts has descended upon Portland, as the city braces itself for a tumultuous mayoral race in 2024 that will shape its destiny.

Where rain-soaked streets echo with the cries of the disenfranchised, the stakes have never been higher as local government – the bedrock of civic life – stands at the forefront of addressing our most pressing issues.

So far, five candidates have announced their entry for the Nov. 5 mayoral election. It’s the first contest to be run under Portland’s new ranked-choice voting method – and after which current city council members will shed direct oversight of municipal departments and agencies, in favor of a new city manager-led system.

Three of the five contenders are current council members; two come from outside the traditional political path to power.

Here, we take a look at what each might have to offer.

Durrell Kinsey Bey

Durrell Kinsey Bey is an unconventional candidate whose empathy and spirit outweigh his political career experience. At just 29 years old, his campaign offers a glimmer of empathy and community spirit sorely needed in these troubled times. His plans to bolster mental health care education and treatment while supporting clinics and outreach from the wider community harbor a sense of love and warmth that I have sorely missed in this city of thorns.

Bey’s holistic approach to healing the underlying issues plaguing every citizen of our city seems exactly the kind of treatment this city needs, an idea completely alien to the textbook politicians now running the show. For too long political corruption and corporate greed have gripped this city in bureaucracy, nepotism, and misappropriated funding. Bey’s lack of political experience will ensure tough opposition from his competitors, however. 

Mingus Mapps

Current city council member Mingus Mapps, who earned a political science degree at Reed College and a doctorate in government from Cornell University, brings a wealth of academic insight to his political endeavors. Under the current mayor-council system, he oversees Portland’s Water Bureau, the Bureau of Environmental Service, and the Bureau of Transportation. 

Mapps will undoubtedly enter the mayor’s race with a lot of current voter support. He has promised a political path of empathy by providing increased funding and support for the Portland Street Response (PSR) team, and services for the homeless and mentally ill. And yet he voted for homeless sweeps and camping bans citywide, putting his empathy in question. Perhaps this line of policy has not been the solution the city has needed, as the atmosphere of desperation on our streets seems greater than ever. 

Rene Gonzalez

On the disappointing end of the mayor’s race spectrum is conservative stalwart Rene Gonzalez, elected to the city council in 2022. This staunch supporter of “law and order” policies seems to have the wallets and funding of the city’s wealthiest in mind instead of the betterment and healing of our city.

 He pledges to make progress on crime, homelessness, the drug crisis, and economic revitalization, but his solution so far has been to sweep it all under a rug, away from downtown and out into the suburbs and low-income communities. As head of the city’s 911 system and Portland Fire & Rescue, when winter’s bite was hitting homeless communities the hardest he banned PSR from operating 24/7 and giving out tarps and tents. This cut off critical aid during severe weather. His leadership, marked by indifference and neglect, paints a bleak picture of the city’s future.

Carmen Rubio

In contrast, fellow city council member Carmen Rubio’s principled stand against the urban camping ban speaks volumes about her dedication to justice and compassion. Her experience and integrity make her a beacon of hope in a sea of uncertainty. First elected in 2020, she currently oversees the city’s bureaus of housing, development services, planning, and Prosper Portland, the city’s economic development agency.

During the city’s campaign for Oregon House Bill 3115 – the urban camping ban specifically targeting homeless citizens – Rubio was the only council member to vote No. Her overall campaign perspective is that we need someone “who will take us into our future without drama.” Her experience and thoughtful choices as a city council member show me that she makes a very strong candidate for mayor and a force for the betterment of the city.

Keith Wilson

A recent entrant to the race is Keith Wilson, CEO of local trucking company Titan Freight, who makes a bold promise: to end homelessness within a year. While lacking a political pedigree, his sincerity and determination strike a chord with those weary of empty promises and rhetoric. His dedication to the environment is seen through his fleet of all-electric freight vehicles.

His life’s journey has molded him into someone who intimately grasps the challenges confronting numerous families across the city. The first in his family to pursue higher education, starting at Roosevelt High School and Portland Community College, he previously endured periods of job instability, including living in LaGuardia Airport.

Wilson’s empathy towards those facing adversity propelled him to found the nonprofit Shelter Portland progam, and he serves on several other progressive boards. He emerges as a beacon of promise and compassion.

Ultimately, the mayoral race becomes more than a contest for political power: It becomes a referendum on Portland’s identity and its capacity for resilience. Perhaps new leadership can guide us into a new era where the City of Roses may bloom anew.