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If the race for Portland City Council were simply about fundraising, Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith would win, hands down.
She raised just over $318,000 in cash over the last two years, nearly $150,000 more than architect Stuart Emmons, her closest competitor in fundraising.
In the last month alone, she raised more than $100,000, with $70,000 of that coming from five donors—two individuals and three labor unions:
—Robert Quillin and Vanessa Morgan, a married couple, together have given Smith $70,000 combined this year alone. They're longtime donors to Smith's campaigns.
—Smith also received substantial donations from labor unions in just over the last month, including $10,000 from the PAC for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 701 as well as $5,000 apiece from Local 48 Electricians PAC and the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 555.
Smith has similarly outspent her rivals. Including in-kind donations, she has spent $140,000 more than former legislator Jo Ann Hardesty, the next biggest spender.
Smith started the race as the frontrunner. She holds the highest elected office of any of the candidates seeking to replace Commissioner Dan Saltzman. She has received a significant number of private-sector union endorsements.
At the same time, Smith has faced questions about her tenure at the county including allegations that she bullied staff and misspent her budget. The major newspapers in town (including WW) all endorsed her opponents and key public sector unions have endorsed her rivals.
Among her opponents: Emmons, Hardesty, and David Douglas School Board member Andrea Valderrama (who works as a policy staffer to Mayor Ted Wheeler).