Candidates Reveal Alliances At District 2 Forum

Candidates were candid about who they would like as their district colleagues.

Maja Viklands Harris Avatar
District 2 candidates at a recent KATU forum. Image: KATU YouTube screenshot

At a recent District 2 forum, council candidates were asked to share who they’d like to see serve alongside them in the district office. Despite the awkwardness of the moment, many candidates were candid about their choices, and several signaled mutual alliances.

Marnie Glickman, a political strategist, selected Sameer Kanal, a project manager for the City of Portland, and Jonathan Tasini, a union organizer. Both Kanal and Tasini reciprocated by picking Glickman and also choosing each other.

Mariah Hudson, a communications manager for OHSU, selected City Commissioner Dan Ryan and Elana Pirtle-Guiney, a former policy advisor to Governors Kate Brown and John Kitzhaber. Ryan reciprocated by choosing Hudson, along with Tiffani Penson, a manager for the City of Portland. Penson also chose Ryan but not Hudson—opting instead for Elana Pirtle-Guiney, stating that Ryan and Pirtle-Guiney have the experience to pass policy.

“You can have an idea, but can you turn it into policy?” Penson said. “Can you count to seven? I can count to seven. This city raised me,” added Penson, who has nearly two decades of experience working for the city.

Elana Pirtle-Guiney selected both Tiffani Penson and Jennifer Park, who runs an educational nonprofit.

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