For some voters, Rene Gonzalez’s recent nod to a right-wing media personality and provocateur seemed on brand, as his disdain for anti-fascist protesters and police critics sometimes echoes the rhetoric heard on Fox News.

To others, the Portland city commissioner and mayoral candidate’s “appreciation” for a divisive figure who’s previously aligned himself with far-right militia groups, crossed a line.

Gonzalez, who bills himself as a lifelong Democrat, took to social media Sunday, July 21 to embrace the news that President Biden would end his re-election bid and instead endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election.

“We need to unite to defeat Donald Trump,” Gonzalez wrote in a statement from his campaign. “The nation cannot endure another four years of divisive, hateful politics that hurt so many and threaten our democracy.”

The current commissioner, who is one of three on the Portland City Council running to be Portland’s next mayor, expressed “deep appreciation for President Biden's strength of character and leadership” and said Harris has the “experience and track record of accomplishment required to take the helm and lead our country at this critical moment in our history.”

Gonzalez’s post was rather unremarkable. It came amid a chorus of praise and appreciation that poured out from Democrats after Biden’s bold decision. But the local politician’s response to a reply in the thread stood out.

Gonzalez’s post elicited criticism from right-wing writer Andy Ngo, whose primary claim to fame is filming anti-fascist (often dubbed “antifa” for short) protesters during clashes with alt-right groups like Patriot Prayer. Critics say Ngo's video footage and his antifa-centered book deliver distorted truths and inflated, hyperbolic assessments about the perceived threat of anti-fascists to American government and democracy.

Ngo argued it was local democratic leadership that "allowed the violence to happen" during 2020's prolonged racial justice protests and anti-fascist demonstrations, which targeted police precincts and courthouses. Ngo contends former President Donald Trump had no choice but to intervene by sending federal troops to police Portland’s protests. 

In reality, federal officers were eschewed by everyone from the mayor to the state’s attorney general, who later filed suit against the federal agencies for their habit of snatching protesters from the streets and whisking them away in unmarked vans, often without the detainees ever facing charges. 

Still, Gonzalez acquiesced.

“Antifa/anarchists have terrorized my family & my city. I appreciate you calling a spade a spade & recognize you have been terrorized for it,” Gonzalez stated in a post from his campaign account that linked to Ngo’s comments.

“We need to own our problems—but Trump kicked us when we were down,” Gonzalez continued, referring to Trump’s threats to deploy the National Guard to Portland, and the president’s disparagement of the Rose City on media outlets like Fox News.

The discourse seemed like a non-sequitur for an elected official in Portland. Showing sympathy for someone whose name appears in Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hatewatch tracker would normally be a political misstep—showing appreciation would be a death knell. But Gonzalez has built a solid base of conservative supporters, despite his public support for a Democrat in the White House.

What's more, he's got something in common with Ngo. Both are considered enemies among Portland progressives, and both have reported instances of politically-motivated, targeted harassment or assault.

Earlier this year, Gonzalez was the victim of suspected arson, when someone likely set fire to a car parked outside his home. The Multnomah County District Attorney's office later speculated it could have been a political detractor who targeted Gonzalez.

Last year, Ngo found himself in court, facing a group of anti-fascist protesters he tried to sue for alleged assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In his suit, Ngo cited at least two instances of physical confrontation, one of which left Ngo badly beaten in 2021.

Still, a few political groups and influential figures were quick to acknowledge Gonzalez’s nod to Ngo, calling it troubling and problematic.

Portland for All, a volunteer-run group aimed at fostering civic engagement and “human-centered” public policies, was among the first to confront Gonzalez’s validation of Ngo.

“If [Gonzalez] thinks Andy Ngo ‘calls a spade a spade’ and is a legitimate news source, we have a serious problem,” the group posted Monday.

Portland for All’s board chair, AndrĂ©s Oswill, points to what he calls Ngo’s “well-known history of aligning with people who do harm.”

“I think Portland voters should be concerned anytime he’s quoting a well-known, right-wing conspiracy theorist,” Oswill says of Gonzalez. 

The Independent Party of Oregon also denounced Gonzalez’s post, asking if Portland is “really prepared to elect a Mayor who lies about being assaulted on public transit and fawns over Andy Ngo.” 

“Is Portland's business community going to continue funding a candidate who aligns himself with right wing agitators like Andy?” the organization asked.

Gonzalez, as well as his staff and campaign team, declined to answer questions or comment on the matter.

Ngo, as the Southern Poverty Law Center puts it, "traffics in politically charged disinformation." He is accused of cozying up with neofascist militia groups to gain access to, and protection from, antifa activists. 

Gonzalez, a former business attorney who’s serving his first term on Portland City Council, gained traction with a swath of voters disillusioned with the city. His emphatic support for police, vocal opposition to distributing life-saving supplies to unhoused residents, and his call for aggressive anti-homeless camping bans in the city have wooed many conservative voters, as well as those in Portland’s downtown business community.

But while courting the centrist and less liberal faction of Portlanders, the self-proclaimed Democrat has managed to alienate voters on both sides of the political spectrum.

Supporters seemed confounded by his embrace of Harris for president. 

Over the weekend, Gonzalez was among a throng of local elected officials who attended Portland’s annual Pride parade. A batch of photos he posted to both his city commissioner and campaign X accounts, depicting him in a rainbow-colored lei alongside other city commissioners and staff, led to a bevy of homophobic comments from his followers.

Conversely, Gonzalez has also found himself at odds with progressive voters and civil rights advocates.

Homeless service providers and advocates have denounced his stance on criminalizing homelessness. Prior to getting elected, Gonzalez founded ED 300, a political action committee focused on electing school board candidates who pushed for schools to reopen during the pandemic, before vaccines were widely available. The group aligned with several conservative groups and candidates, including one candidate in Bend, who previously espoused Islamophobia and several profanity-laced replies to Trump critics via Twitter and other social media accounts.

“Unfortunately, Gonzalez has a history of association with right-wing entities,” Oswill, of Portland for All, says. “The nonprofit he founded, ED 300, endorsed candidates who were also endorsed by anti-abortion groups, and anti-LGBTQ groups. When we’ve raised concerns about who he’s affiliated with, the response is always, ‘this is just a one-off instance,’ but we're’ seeing this troubling trendline of lifting up right-wing leaders 
these are groups who are actively harming people.”

Despite angering a broad swath of voters, what remains to be seen is whether the online vitriol against Gonzalez correlates to November’s election outcome. Currently, Gonzalez remains in the lead for fundraising, raking in over $166,000 in donations since launching his campaign for mayor last year.