United for Portland, a political action committee (PAC) backed by business groups, real estate interests, and local civic leaders, has announced its picks for Portland City Council. Known for having one of the most rigorous endorsement processes among local PACs, the group required candidates to attend four educational events, complete a questionnaire that aligned with their priorities, and secure 250 unique donations to qualify.
In District 1, the candidates are Noah Ernst, Terrence Hayes, and Loretta Smith.
For District 2, the chosen candidates include James Armstrong, Michelle DePass, Marnie Glickman, Mariah Hudson, Debbie Kitchin, Mike Marshall, William Mespelt, Tiffani Penson, Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Dan Ryan, and Nat West.
District 3’s picks are Rex Burkholder, Jesse Cornett, Daniel DeMelo, and Steve Novick.
Finally, in District 4, the endorsed candidates are Eli Arnold, Olivia Clark, Ben Hufford, Tony Morse, Stan Penkin, Bob Weinstein, and Eric Zimmerman.
United for Portland has played a significant role in recent elections, backing multiple current members of the council, such as Mayor Ted Wheeler, Mingus Mapps, and Rene Gonzalez. All of this year’s candidates have received the organization’s “greenlight” endorsement. United for Portland is expected to unveil its top picks from the list at a later date.
