Portland awaits: Will Sam Adams run?
Tonight, Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams will announce whether he's running for re-election or whether he's running for mayor.
As the Oregonian notes, most political observers believe he's running for mayor:
City Commissioner Sam Adams will end the suspense tonight -- if any still remains -- about whether he will run for Portland mayor or re-election to his council job.Ever since Mayor Tom Potter announced last month that he would not seek re-election, the political world in Portland has taken it for granted that Adams would make the race. Adams served as chief of staff for Mayor Vera Katz during her 12 years in office and won election to the City Council in 2004.
The announcement will happen at a public event - at Roots Organic Brewing, 1520 SE 7th Ave. - at 5:30 p.m.
The Oregonian also reports that Adams has indicated that he'll abide by a self-imposed fundraising cap - both on individual donations and the overall total.
Adams made a point of telling reporters he does not intend to use the city's public financing program in a run for mayor. He said that since he voted for the program, it would create "the appearance of a conflict of interest" if he took advantage of it.Under the program, candidates who raise $5 each from 1,000 contributors qualify for $200,000 in public money for a mayoral primary campaign. Adams said he would limit individual contributions to $500 and his total spending to the public financing limit.
Discuss.
Update: On KPOJ this morning, Sam announced that he's running for mayor. Thanks to commenter East Bank Thom for the tip! Listen here (mp3).
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10:21 a.m.
Oct 3, '07
I am just pleased it's at Roots, which is my fave brewpub in the city. Also, Chuck Hagel aside, it's pretty rare for someone to schedule a big announcement ... that they're not running. But this is a blog and no place for loose rumor.
10:53 a.m.
Oct 3, '07
It's official - he's running for mayor.
You can read the story here.
Oct 3, '07
"Portland awaits: Will Sam Adams run?"
A question mark, how adorable.
11:28 a.m.
Oct 3, '07
Or, you could have read about it on Friday at Blogtown, PDX.
12:28 p.m.
Oct 3, '07
Hmmm.... I haven't seen a press release or other announcement yet. Sounds like folks are jumping the gun...
Having once built an entire website for a gubernatorial candidate (not in Oregon) that walked into his announcement press conference and proceeded to announce that he wasn't running, I never assume that someone is running until they actually say it out loud in public.
12:31 p.m.
Oct 3, '07
I actually thought I HAD read about it somewhere. I just thought it was the faulty memory again...
Oct 3, '07
Portland waits on the edge of their chairs....Gresham happily snoozes through the typical Portland political drama that seems unending.
Thankfully our leadership is provided by well grounded business oriented folks like Bemis,Warr-King, and Strathern. ALl Dems, all Moderates and they're are a lot less unsettling than Sten, Adams, and CERTAINLY Leonard.
Oct 3, '07
Does saying it on the Radio count? You guys should catch the morning show on KPOJ sometime. Sam Adams was on and Carl Wolfson said: "There's a rumor goin' around that you're runnin' for Mayor." Sam answered, "That rumor is true!"
Hey! I see what you did there! You guys are pullin' the ol' "Whudda WE know? Were not jurnalists!" routine. OH!
1:14 p.m.
Oct 3, '07
Um, you must have your parties confused. There is only one Democrat on the Gresham City Council. I should know, as I did a considerable amount of research last year while locating candidates to run for the council, and this year while planning my own run.
• Mayor Bemis is a Republican. And he donates to Republicans 100% of the time, according to the records I've seen over the past few years. Minnis returned the favor and gave a $2K donation to his campaign for mayor.
• Paul Warr-King is a Republican.
• Richard Strathern is a Republican.
• Shirley Craddick is a Democrat.
• David Widmark in Non-Affiliated.
• Carol Nielsen-Hood is a Republican.
• Mike Bennett is a Republican, I think. He's a bit harder to check since there isn't a "Mike Bennett" or a "Michael Bennett" registered in Gresham. But I did locate one male whose middle name was Michael.
There used to be two Democrats on the council, but Karylinn Echols resigned earlier this year and was replaced with David Widmark.
And contrary to what you may think, this does indeed affect Gresham. It affects us quite a bit. We're getting large influxes of people from North and NE Portland into Gresham because of gentrification. Crime on the border between the two cities is exploding, and the Portland Police Bureau is overseen by the mayor. There are also apparently local governmental appointed positions that oversee things that happen in the county but are appointed by Portland's mayor.
1:23 p.m.
Oct 3, '07
Does saying it on the Radio count? You guys should catch the morning show on KPOJ sometime. Sam Adams was on and Carl Wolfson said: "There's a rumor goin' around that you're runnin' for Mayor." Sam answered, "That rumor is true!"
Hey, thanks, EBT. I guess that does it. I'm updating the post.
1:29 p.m.
Oct 3, '07
Apparently he made the announcement to press outside City Council chambers this morning.
KATU has video of him saying he's running.
Oct 3, '07
Hold your horses! There's a new blog out there ("Beaver Liberal" or something), and they're saying that the announcement tonight is that Sam is definitely NOT running for mayor. That and he'd like to sell us all time shares in the Pearl District.
Oct 3, '07
Hold your horses! There's a new blog out there ("Beaver Liberal" or something), and they're saying that the announcement tonight is that Sam is definitely NOT running for mayor. That and he'd like to sell us all time shares in the Pearl District.
2:00 p.m.
Oct 3, '07
In related news today, Robert Liberty announced he's not running for Sam's open seat.
2:48 p.m.
Oct 3, '07
Great. More of the same. How joyous.
Oct 3, '07
I stand corrected Jenni....although my several conversations with Bemis and Dick sure felt like I was talking to Eastern Oregon Dems.
Enough to say that there is nobody out this way even close to what Portland likes to call a "Progressive" and we are far better off. We're moderate Democrats out this way thank you!
6:48 p.m.
Oct 3, '07
Well, hopefully we do end up with someone on the council that folks in Portland would consider progressive - me! ; )
Oct 4, '07
Jenni,
If you want a serious shot at Gresham City Council, you need to get onto one of the City's various committees and make a mark there. Political activism and political experience are two different things and in Gresham, they value the second over the first in their leaders.
Understand that I think you'd bring a lot of good ideas to the Council. I hope to see you on it someday and you may already be serving in the city in some capacity that I'm not aware of, but if you're not, you might want to seriously consider a committee position to start building those contacts and your reputation with the local business and community leaders beyond the activist work you've done in the past.
I look forward to seeing your name on the ballot in the future.
Oct 4, '07
Kari: Having once built an entire website for a gubernatorial candidate (not in Oregon) that walked into his announcement press conference and proceeded to announce that he wasn't running
Whew! Then i guess you dodged a bullet this time. Congratulations on the new project. Say, was Sam the same client that kept you from adequately responding to the post from Steve Novick's campaign manager noting the lack of Novick coverage on Blue0 (as opposed to the love fest from Mandate for their man Merkley)?
12:32 a.m.
Oct 5, '07
Mel-
Thanks! Most of my work right now is with the neighborhood associations, helping our association to get re-activated and helping with some other related stuff.
The city has been in the process of changing its citizen participation program. Once the process is done, I'll be signing up for a committee as well.
Running for the appointment recently really helped with the contacts as well. I met a number of businesspeople who said that I was the one they would have chosen for the spot.
<h2>So I've definitely made some pretty good inroads here in town. And I'll be spending the next 8 months or so doing more.</h2>