There are a few notable new candidates for office — and a couple of interesting decisions to drop out of high-profile races:
A Private-Sector Mayoral Candidate
Entrepreneur Keith Wilson has announced he’s joining the race for mayor. His trucking company Titan Freight Systems operates an electric fleet, which has eliminated “94 percent of fossil fuels” from its trucking in Oregon. His competition includes three current members of City Council. [Portland Mercury]
- Also: Wilson works on housing issues through the nonprofit Shelter Now. [Bike Portland]
- And he ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2020. [Oregonian]
Congressional Candidate Dropouts
Metro President Lynn Peterson dropped out of the Democratic primary for U.S. District 5. She endorsed State Rep. Janelle Bynum, who scored a key endorsement from Gov. Tina Kotek and now has an easier path to victory. Still, Bynum faces a potentially competitive primary against lawyer Jamie McLeod-Skinner, who won the Democratic primary for the seat in 2022. [Willamette Week]
- Related: A former Republican state lawmaker, Denyc Boles, dropped out of the primary for District 6. That makes Republican Mike Erickson the likely opponent for first term U.S. Congresswoman Andrea Salinas. That might be good news for Salinas, who beat Erickson in 2022. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]
A New Treasurer Candidate
Ashland’s state senator, Jeff Golden, is officially vying to be the Democratic nominee for state treasurer. He’ll face fellow senator, Elizabeth Steiner, and Jeff Gudman, a former city councilman from Lake Oswego who has run previously as a Republican. The current treasurer, Tobias Read, faces term limits and is running for Secretary of State. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]
