Labor-endorsed candidates do well in May primary

With support from organized labor, a former president of Portland Fire Fighters Local 43, Randy Leonard, fended off 10 challengers to win re-election to the Portland City Council. At the same time, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry easily defeated his only remaining primary opponent, Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich. The Massachusetts senator captured more than 80 percent of the vote.

Labor’s endorsed candidate for Portland mayor — Commissioner Jim Francesconi — finished second in a 23-person field and will face former Portland Police Chief Tom Potter in a runoff in November. Squaring off in the general election for Francesconi’s council seat will be Nick Fish and Sam Adams. Both candidates picked up endorsements from various unions.

In Multnomah County, incumbents Lonnie Roberts and Maria Rojo de Steffey were easily re-elected to commission seats. Their colleague, Lisa Naito, finished first, but didn’t capture the required 50 percent plus one to win outright. She will face former state legislator and union Boilermaker Ron McCarty in a November runoff.

Multnomah County Employees Local 88 President Marla Rosenberger told AFSCME Alert that “Lisa Naito has been a strong advocate for our members and their economic well-being. Local 88 is committed to getting her re-elected in order to protect their future employment security.”

At METRO, labor-endorsed Carl Hosticka was re-elected to a second four-year term on the regional government that oversees land-use, transportation and conservation issues in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties.

Labor-endorsed incumbent Rod Monroe will face former 1,000 Friends of Oregon Director Robert Liberty for his METRO seat in a November runoff. Liberty won the primary with 43 percent of the vote.

In Washington County, incumbent Commissioner Dick Schouten defeated right-wing challenger Eileen Qutub with nearly 51 percent of the vote. A labor-supported library levy captured nearly 52 percent of the vote — but it failed overall because of a voter turnout of only 40 percent. Oregon law requires a 50 percent voter turnout on money issues on the ballot in primaries.

In Columbia County, labor-backed Rosemary Molony Lohrke was elected to the County Commission with nearly 52 percent of the vote in a three-person race.

In Clackamas County, incumbent Democratic County Commissioner Martha Schrader ran unopposed. However, she will face former Republican State Representative Tootie Smith in the November general election.

Detective Craig Roberts was elected Clackamas County sheriff, defeating incumbent H. Pat Detloff with more than 52 percent of the vote.

In Eugene, labor-endorsed candidates swept to victory in City Council races. Former state legislator Kitty Piercy was elected mayor in a decisive primary election; Bonny Bettman defeated the Chamber of Commerce’s candidate, Maurie Dener; and Andrea Ortiz defeated an incumbent commissioner.

“It has been a long time since our members and the workers in Eugene have had true friends on the City Council. This is a great day for working families in this area of the state,” Pat Riggs-Henson, executive secretary-treasurer of the Lane County Labor Council told AFSCME Alert.

In statewide races, labor’s candidates won their contested primaries handily. Winners included U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Darlene Hooley, and Secretary of State Bill Bradbury. All are Democrats.

In judicial races, incumbent Supreme Court Justices Rives Kistler and William Riggs and Appellate Judge Bob Wollheim will remain on the bench. All three had labor endorsements.

In contested primary legislative races, labor-endorsed winners were Democrats Mark Hass in House District 27, Chuck Riley in House District 29, Mitch Greenlick in House District 33, Chip Shields in House District 43 and Kathy Firestone in House District 51.

In Southern Oregon’s House District 5, labor-backed Judy Uherbelau, a former member of the Oregon Nurses Association, was defeated in the Democratic primary by Peter Buckley.

© Oregon Labor Press Publishing Co. Inc.