Thanks for doing all those profiles by the way. Good work.

You're welcome. This election season was going to be pretty boring, and suddenly, it got pretty exciting. I'm only too pleased to be covering this race in the depth it deserves.

"County-ing their chickens" will go down in history as the worst pun to ever disgrace the Mercury's pages. MARK MY WORDS, DAVIS!

So who's got the biggest cock? You know, like chickens... I'm sorry.

I won't do it again.

Cock.

FUCK. I can't help myself.

Sorry.

Tom Markgraf- because he genuinely cares about our community and has the potential to make a positive difference in Multnomah County.

The "ridiculous big bridge project"? What the . . .? How do YOU propose we get across the river to Washington? The old bridge is falling apart. What are we supposed to do? Pretend we're in Venice and hop in a gondola?

Karol! She's progressive, intelligent, has in-depth knowledge of the issues, and will hit the ground running. Plus, she's super rad.

Here's what I can tell you about Karol.

I've known her for a number of years, and have been consistently impressed with the work she does. Here are a few things she's done over the years:

1. As Cogen's assistant, she has led the charge to open a new library in North Portland. The Kenton Library opened its doors last week in a revitalization effort in the neighborhood.

2. Karol was instrumental in the start-up of the new St. John's Farmers Market, giving North Portland one more place to get fresh produce and products.

3. She helped open the started the Gateway One Stop Center for victims of domestic violence

4. Karol also developed a food labeling ordinance for the county that was adopted statewide by the legislature and recognized by the Centers for Disease Control.

Then there is the Pie-Off....and her work for equality....and her grace, good humor, and ability to work collaboratively.

How's that?
I live in the district. She has my vote and I'll do what I can to persuade others in N/NE to vote for her as well.

Karol Collymore! She has progressive values and puts them into action. She's very community minded and really has the best interest of the people she will represent in mind. I like her combo of fresh perspective and energy and experience actually getting stuff done at the County.

I will vote for Karol. She's smart, progressive, caring, and has been a huge asset to the N/NE district.

I will vote for Karol. She's smart, progressive, caring, has been a huge asset to the N/NE district, AND she's a snazzy dresser.

Paul Van Orden has my vote-he's a grassroots, smart dedicated community guy. He's worked for a lot of community-minded causes-and not just in passing, its his life.

I can't vote at work because the page is disabled - but endorse Hansen.

I am going to vote for Paul van Orden. He has lived in the center of seat #2 for many years (as a homeowner) and has shown a long term willingness to stay and serve the community both through his employment with the city and his various community activities. This isn't just a stepping stone or "the next logical step" in a political career (-cough-Kollymore-cough) for him. He wants to help the community and not just help himself up to the next level of a political career.

Where's all the Karol fawning coming from? As far as I can tell, she's just like every other twenty-something who moved to Portland from elsewhere (she came from NM or somewhere like three years ago, right?) and got a string of organizing or nonprofit jobs. If every friend of mine who fits that bill were running for office, I'd be running away.

I don't live in that district, but Chuck Currie seems to be the best of the bunch. Karol says "it's a logical next step," but Chuck sees, from his 25 or so years fighting hunger and homelessness in this community, how he wants to use the office to actually accomplish things he's been fighting for.

Karol seems to be just grasping at any open elected office. Ego uber alles, I suppose. Would be nice if she could cool her jets a bit and serve like all the rest of us: without a big fancy title. But then again, blind ambition often gets the money and support.

Oh and Sally, if the I-5 bridge is "falling apart" (which it isn't), have you ever heard of I-205? Turns out there's a bridge there, too. Safe Routes to Clark County!

Chuck Currie is the one. It's a no brainer, people.

Definitely Paul van Orden -- he's lived in Portland for quite a while, and is very passionate about county governance.

Definitely Paul van Orden. He's lived in Portland for quite a while, and is passionate about county governance.

Tom Markgraf definitely gets my vote -- he has been involved in local community building over the last twenty years and has done the work for years as a non-politician just for the love of Portland.

Even the Mercury knows Gary Hansen is "policy volcano, waiting to erupt all over Multnomah County" lol (thanks for the quote of the election Matt)

We need someone who can work with our allies and our opponents on all sides of the table.

Someone who can work with business and farmers, bikers and drivers, computer programmers, chip builders, home builders and bridge builders.

Someone like PVO. I'm voting for Paul. Take a look at him and see just how much is there.

Chuck Currie is compassionate, experienced and intelligent. He's got my vote.

Chuck Currie stands up for those who are generally disregarded by our shiny political machine, and we need more of that in public office. It's not just big bridges, it's the little guy too!

Gary Hansen is running? I LOVE the work he's done for North Portland, he's got my vote!

Chuck Currie has my vote--he isn't afraid to take on the big issues. And he is cute.

Karol, clearly. There will be no learning curve for her, plus she's energized, engaged and effective. She's got a passion for public service and she's got the charm to navigate through contentious political battlefields. Finally, her commitment to equality -- for people of color, for the GLBT community, for women, and for youth -- is unparalled. Again, Karol!!

My vote is going to Roberta Phillip. Just as with many of the candidates Roberta has demonstrated leadership and excellence in everything she's done.

She's not new to Portland (since 2003). But she hasn't been here long enough to have the type of political debt that slows down progress.

I also like that her focus is on prevention rather than proposed solutions like Wapato, which are far too expensive for this community to continue to bear.

She's a former teacher with a solid grasp on the challanges that we face in providing better education to our children. And she also is committed to instituting equitable policies that do not have disproportionate negative effects on underrepresented communities.

@ProUppity: "Funny how men are never told to cool their jets and wait it out when it comes to public service.

Young men who run for office are called visionaries or a breath of fresh air. Young (black) women are called uppity."

Gotta say I've been struck by that pov repeatedly in this race, so far. I've lost count of the number of times Karol has been called "entitled" behind her back.

Yet when we elected State Representative Brent Barton 2 years ago, nobody called him entitled. He's 3 years younger than Collymore, and he ran that house race with $50,000 of his dad's law money. He went to Stanford, Cambridge, and Harvard Law. He sits on the board of the ballet! He's so entitled it is literally impossible for me to stand near him or even hear him mentioned in conversation without wanting to be rude. And yet, not one single person called him "entitled" when he ran. Not one.

He was called "cute." The Bus Project went out and knocked doors for him. And now he wants to be a senator:

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/Blogto…

So what do we really mean when we call Karol Collymore "entitled?" That's a good question in this race, I think. There's also great irony to me in the fact that Barton is endorsing Collymore.

Chuck Currie has the courage, compassion and commitment for public service. Chuck is experienced in the community with helping those who need his advocacy most.





c.o.

Chuck Currie has my vote, hands down. As an almost lifelong, engaged resident, Chuck knows Multnomah County's more recent political and economic history. He knows the effectiveness of long-term, focused and collaborative activism. He's demonstrated through his life choices that he places highest value on healthy, inclusive communities. Chuck works with people to make places more livable. He works by bringing people together when solving great challenges; he is not a divider. He leads with knowledge, strength, and compassion; his actions encourage others to engage in the same manner. This race has superior candidates, and Chuck Currie stands out.

@Matt,

Barton does sound entitled. But it sounds like he could at least be a lawyer if politics fell through.

But anyone who shows up in town (whatever their race, gender, identity, sexual orientation) has a bunch of small jobs with a variety of political organizations or campaigns without an apparent non-political 'day job' and then runs for the state legislature and then county commission because "it's the natural next step' [the phrase 'to higher office' is implied] is going to be criticized. That's not to say she hasn't done good and valuable work in the political arena or anything, but when you don't have a career (Phillips- lawyer, van Orden - law enforcement, Currie-Reverending, Markgraf- transportation) you run into the career politician problem. And it is a fair criticism, even if you like the career politician and their policies.

I suggest that the Mercury consider which one of the candidats would be able to make a buck or feed their family if the world of politics was shut off to them. Because that says a lot about their true skills and strengths. Many of the candidates would be just fine if they couldn't work in politics directly for an elected official, getting someone elected or lobbying for an initiative. Some wouldn't. And (race/gender/identity) isn't the issue it's their general competence as a citizen.

I'd rather have a well-rounded person who is competent in their field of expertise with an interest in serving the community elected than a person who plays the political game well and has good political beliefs with no real-life job skills.

@ hollyholly - where a person is from has only as much to do with their ability to help this community as you contrive it to have. How long they've been here can carry different weight depending on the person. And you should make sure that you've looked thoroughly at that person before using terms like this one. The exclusivity that the term "carpetbagger" carries with it undermines some of Multnomah County's greatest strengths: inclusiveness, acceptance, cooperation.
What matters is your ability to understand and connect with the people that you represent. For some, that doesn't take a life time.

Markgraf has been living in the district nearly his entire life. He has been working on community issues from homeless shelters to transportation for his entire professional life, and he is one of the smartest people I know. He would be a fantastic addition to the Multnomah County Commission. Tom is a Portlanders' Portlander. He gets our progressive politics and he understands policy from a livability perspective. Tom would be a fantastic commissioner for North and Northeast Portland.

Wow Number Six and Hollyholly, fling the term career politician like the McCain campaign whipped around community organizer.

I have nothing but respect for people who dedicate their lives to working in the trenches of public service, usually for little money. I'm not sure why you consider being a lawyer of more value than being a political worker (you can argue that those other folks are mere political hobbyists, which is sort of like Justin Timberlake owning a restaurant.)

If the work Collymore did with Cogen (such as opening the Kenton Library, starting the Gateway One Stop Center for victims of domestic violence and kicking off the St. John’s Farmers Market) didn't happen in the real world, where did it happen? Hogwarts? I'm sure the residents of Kenton and St. Johns feel they are firmly attached to the "real world." Although Hogwarts would be a pretty rad place to hang.

What some people derogate as "politics," I honor as a commitment to public service.

As someone who has spent my whole life working for The Man (AKA "in the private sector"), I know I've earned way more money and had way less grief thrown my way than those who choose public service as a career path. I would never have the patience and commitment to do what people like Karol do. I'm thrilled that someone of her quality actively chooses to do it.

Karol Collymore is smart, knowledgeable, progressive, hardworking, and in every respect a dream candidate for a seat on the Multnomah County Commission. As she's been working for Jeff Cogen, she is well versed in the issues and personalities already, and could hit the ground running.

I am personally acquainted with four of the candidates and think it is inappropriate to bash or run down any of them. This isn't about that. They're all good people with honorable intentions. I hate to see the personal criticisms and implications of ulterior motives that some commenters have expressed above. I just think it would be a great thing to elect Karol, and she is who I support.

Paul van Orden is a great guy. He has an interesting background; I got to see his cameo on a skateboarding video when he was about thirteen. Now he's all grown up-ish and knows a lot about Portland. Check him out.

Gary Hansen seems to have made up a lot of ground in this poll between 11pm and 2am...

Collymore needs a little better governor on her accelerator. She's been willing on more than one occasion to go beyond the call in the comment threads on Blue Oregon. We already have plenty of populist pols willing to stir the pot even when it's unwarranted, to gain favor with this or that constituency.

I'd have to go with the cheery and level headed Markgraf. He's a serious wonk and will bring an adult but non-confontational perspective to the commission.

@Pat: Going "too far" in the comments section on a website. Is there such a thing, really? Or is that a sign of somebody who's willing to take risks to further a discussion? I guess I'd need to see some examples. I mean, I've said STUPID things in blog comments, in the past. But I'd probably be the first to say so, if I were running for elected office. That's kinda what blogs are for, isn't it? To allow a free-ranging discussion that might not happen if everyone had to be either honest about who they were, or "respectful" in the way Portlanders so often are, face to face.

I don't live in Portland at the present time, but I visit often, keep up with my Portland friends and would like to have a home there in the not to distant future. Living in cities outside of Oregon makes one realize, all the more, how special are Portland and its people. I am familiar with the work that Gary Hansen has done over his career in preserving the desirable, often unique, qualities of his state and city--and, if given the opportunity, would vote for him in a heartbeat.

Go Gary Go!. Mr. Hansen is your man..

Paul van Orden has actual government experience, has run a campaign before (you think its easy getting 11,000 people to write your name on the ballot?), and has been active in the community he wishes to serve for more than a decade.

Paul van Orden, because he has actual government experience, has run a campaign before (you think its easy to get 11,000 people to write your name on the ballot?), and has been actively involved in the community he wishes to serve for more than a decade. Besides that, he's honest, ethical, intelligent, hardworking, and a fiscal conservative with a progressive outlook.

Anyone that wants real life comparisons between Chuck Currie and Karol Collymore, only need read past posts on Blueoregon. Chuck has always been polite and courteous, often putting up unpopular positions which gain respect because of the force of his civility.

Karol has made herself the de facto "identity politics" editor. She pioneered the "post and run" technique, where you start a discussion and then don't read the responses, because "they can't really change anything". Real open minded. This is the kind of "liberal" that advises her dinner guests that the word "black" as a racial epithet is not acceptable in her presence. She is the outsider with the insider state of mind. Sam and co. would love her. Knows more than you, openly contemptuous of anyone that isn't a holy minority's ability to know anything ("PPB shootings are about race alone. period. no discussion"), lives on buddy buddy connections, and is ALWAYS ready for the next office. Just like Sam who started running for Mayor the day he got a council seat.

Actually, I like Karol's policies. What I will not support for one more minute, for any reason, is the monumental arrogance that the "justified" exhibit, complete with their poisonous cynicism.

Tom Markgraf, most definitely. He is experienced; if it had not been for him quite likely the Interstate MAX project might not have been built. He is thoughtful. Ask him about the CRC project. His response has always been informed, and sensible and good humored. His knowledge goes far beyond transportation. He knows mental health issues, problems facing the elderly and is right at home with Portland's diverse neighborhoods and their backgrounds.