Political Consultant Jon Isaacs Taking PPS Job: Updated

Jon Isaacs
By NIGEL JAQUISS

Political consultant Jon Isaacs, who ran a successful capital bond campaign last year for Portland Public Schools, is going to work for PPS Superintendent Carole Smith, according to three sources familiar with his plans.

In 2012, he also helped run mayoral candidate Eileen Brady's unsuccessful primary campaign. Isaacs rose to prominence within political circles running FuturePac, the political arm of the Oregon House Democrats in 2006, when Democrats re-took control of the House after 17 consecutive rules of GOP control.

Isaacs subsequently served as campaign manager for then-House Speaker Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) when Merkley defeated incumbent U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) in 2008. After a stint as Merkley's state director, Isaacs served as executive director of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters from 2009 to 2011 before returning to campaign work.

Updated Jan 11 at 8:45 am:

Isaacs confirms he is taking a job as a senior policy advisor in Smith's office.

"I really enjoyed school issues during the [November bond] race," Isaacs says. "And I'm happy to be retiring from electoral politics."


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