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The Oregon Nurses Association endorsed County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards this week in the race for Multnomah County chair, putting the weight of the powerful union behind a campaign that has far outraised its competitors and drawn notable support from organized labor.
ONA represents more than 25,000 nurses statewide. In its announcement Tuesday, the union said Brim-Edwards, a sitting county commissioner and former Portland School Board member, would prioritize health care workforce development, “ensure safe staffing levels in her executive budget leadership,” and prioritize the perspective of nurses as she oversees a county government that plays a major role in the local health care ecosystem.
The ONA endorsement is a hit to Brim-Edward’s leading opponent, District 2 Commissioner Shannon Singleton, who has significant progressive support of her own, including from the left flank of the Portland City Council. Singleton did not respond to a call or text seeking comment. (Another contender, emergency physician doctor and former County Commissioner Sharon Meieran, has not sought organizational endorsements.)
The three women seek to become the chief executive of the sprawling multibillion-dollar apparatus that is the Multnomah County government. On a $506 million budget, its health department has more staff than any other county division: 1,500-plus full-time employees, many of them health care workers. They run a network of health centers, provide health care in corrections facilities, hold various public health responsibilities, and oversee a wide range of behavioral health services.
Brim-Edwards in April already had the endorsements of all six mayors in Multnomah County. The Northwest Oregon Labor Council endorsed her too, as did some trade unions.
Many of her former School Board colleagues feel differently, however, and issued something of an anti-endorsement weeks ago. The seven former and current members of the Portland Public Schools Board, including Chair Eddie Wang, released a letter in July warning that Brim-Edwards is not fit to serve as Multnomah County chair. The letter criticized her as an “ineffective” leader and said she struggled to make hard decisions in her School Board days. Brim-Edwards countered that her record on education speaks for itself, citing better learning outcomes and new schools funding.
According to the latest state filings, Brim-Edwards’s campaign committee has raised $162,503 this year, compared with Meieran’s $67,0623 and Singleton’s $23,095.
