Portland's Mayoral Race Begins on Monday

The Oregonian reports that Mayor Tom Potter is poised to announce whether or not he will run for re-election at a press conference early tomorrow:

Mayor Tom Potter has called a news conference Monday to announce whether he'll run for re-election. The long-awaited decision will set off a chain reaction of political calculation inside and outside City Hall.

Potter has been saying he would decide before his 67th birthday Wednesday. The uncertainty has kept a small army of political hopefuls on the edge of their seats.

Today, the paper profiles in depth City Commissioner Sam Adams, who is widely considered to be a leading candidate for Mayor should Potter decide to step down:

As Mayor Vera Katz's chief of staff for 11 years, he knew government's every detail. He was the gatekeeper who ushered lobbyists into the mayor's City Hall suite, the frowning figure at the back of the room who scribbled as others talked, the bad cop notorious for keeping even the most basic government function secret.

As a city commissioner, Adams has become the leading voice for transparent government and an enthusiastic publicity hound. He invited a TV crew to film his surgery, brought cameras along as he manned a Burgerville drive-through and strutted the stage in a local charity version of "Dancing With the Stars."

Now he's making the rounds pitching his own vision for Portland and its suburbs. In style, he resembles Dr. Phil. In sweep and potential dollar cost, he recalls Neil Goldschmidt and the former mayor's grand plan to wrench the Rose City into the 21st century.

Read the rest of the profile. Will Potter run for re-election? If not, could Sam Adams be the next Mayor of Portland? Discuss.

Sept. 09, 2007 Posted in in the news 2007.