Tidbits from the Trail

Evan Manvel

Never a dull day in the Portland city races.

A few tidbits from the campaign trail:

• Jefferson Smith pledged to run a positive campaign. He pledged his campaign would not do opposition research or pay for negative advertising. Hear him promise it in his own words in the campaign launch video (above/to the side).

• Today The Oregonian's Steve Duin slams Mike Reese: "Will someone please inform Police Chief Mike Reese that... self-serving deceit isn't obligatory in a Portland mayoral campaign?" Apparently journalists don't like being told two completely different stories within hours.

• A Portland Business Alliance poll shows the race remains wide open. PBA has money to burn to discover the obvious: most Portlanders aren't focused on picking their candidate eight months before an election. It also has money to burn on questions pitting progress on sustainability and culture and bikes and arts and equal rights against jobs. Steve Novick had the best answer to this on PBA's questionnaire: "I'd like to think [elected leaders] can walk and chew gum at the same time..." and "(Bicycling does reduce health care costs and dependence on foreign oil, which helps.)" Snap!

• Duin's column summarized the PBA-Reese issue this way: "This much is clear: Portland's business community -- or what's left of it -- is still casting about for a candidate it thinks can beat Smith, the only unapologetic progressive in the mix."

• Wonky policy detail I hadn't caught before: on the PBA Questionnaire, Novick, Smith, and Hales didn't endorse the Portland Business Alliance's effort to increase the business owner's compensation deduction from $85,000 to $125,000. Fritz, Nolan, and Brady did.

• Eileen Brady continues her lead in fund raising and number of donors (breaking 808 on October 28, and presumably more since). Yet she's spending her funds much more quickly than the other candidates (outlaying nearly $149,000 thus far), meaning a roughly equal cash on hand with Hales and Smith.

• Brady scored the endorsement of former mayor Tom Potter.

• Smith hit his target of raising his first $100,000 from donors of $1000 or less. Over 619 donors have given, and Smith has retained his social networking lead, with over 2000 Facebook fans (while Brady and Hales have also increased their fan bases).

• Charlie Hales is starting a series of six Pub Crawls with Charlie, with the first one focused on the Interstate Light Rail area, reminding voters Charlie helped create the Yellow Line. What, do you think we like craft beer, Oregon wines, and local spirits, Charlie? You think we like local bars?

• Charlie also had this interesting interview in Neighborhood Notes, where he noted Portland's efforts to expand tree cover and Brady's lack of experience in local government.

• To my knowledge, neither of the Maxes has claimed the slogan "Mad Max for Mayor." Heck, it's time to get riled up, and the Mad Max for Mayor motto may mean much alliteration. Mayor Sam Adams is, of course, a fan of Mad Max. If they both want the slogan, it's time for Thunderdome! Brumm is ahead of Bauske 308-186 in Facebook fans.

• The lesser-known mayoral candidates got a profile in The Portland Tribune, focused on Max Brumm.

• Steve Novick passed 700 donors and $150,000 raised.

• Mary Nolan passed 400 donors and $100,000 raised.

• Fritz released a poll showing her with a big lead over Nolan (both had roughly 3-1 favorability ratings among those who had heard of them, but many fewer voters know who their state legislators are). Fritz has raised $9,000 in donations of $50 or less, and given herself a $25,000 loan. She spent $13,000 on that poll (which of course included other questions).

Your thoughts? Other key developments folks should be aware of?

By Evan Manvel Nov. 03, 2011 Posted in Video.