Video: Portland City Council Candidate Felicia Williams Questions a Rival, Revealing More About Herself

During her WW endorsement interview, her question for an opponent and her answer to why she didn't have institutional endorsements are both worth watching.

Felicia Williams (Walker Stockly)

During endorsement interviews, WW often offers candidates an opportunity to ask a question of a rival candidate.

The purpose of the exercise is to allow candidates to draw distinctions between themselves and their opponents, or to highlight an issue. But the questions candidates ask can also reveal something about the candidate asking the question.

That was the case last month when City Council candidate Felicia Williams asked and opponent, Andrea Valderrama, one such revealing question:

The two candidates are competing to replace departing city commissioner Dan Saltzman. Coverage of the contest has focused on three women of color, including Valderrama (a David Douglas school board member and policy adviser to Mayor Ted Wheeler), County Commissioner Loretta Smith and former legislator Jo Ann Hardesty. (The race also includes architect Stuart Emmons.)

Williams, who is a neighborhood association president, has largely financed her campaign with donations from her partner and has failed to secure any institutional endorsements

In the interview, WW asked the candidates about endorsements, which in a local race are often key. Here's how Williams explained why her opponents got all the endorsements.

Ballots for May 15 primary are due by 8 pm that day. (Disclosure: WW endorsed Hardesty.)

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