Portland politics are as quirky as the city itself
Saturday, May 12, 2012
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Portland is famously weird and fiercely proud of it, so things can get a little bizarre when it comes time to pick a mayor.
Food carts, fixed-gear bicycles, pot shops and craft beer make the city a magnet for the young, hip and liberal. But it still has all the attendant dilemmas of a growing urban center.
Voters will weigh in Tuesday on which brand of liberal is best equipped to run the city while obeying the command, "Keep Portland weird!"
The race has three front-runners.
State Rep. Jefferson Smith abandoned his legal career to convince young people to get involved in politics.
Eileen Brady is the co-founder of a popular organic grocery chain.
And Charlie Hales is a subdued policy expert who brought streetcars to the city.
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