Hughes, Smith pick up union endorsements

Metro Council candidate for president Tom Hughes last month picked up endorsements from the Northwest Oregon Labor Council and the Columbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council.

Hughes was the top vote-getter in a three-person non-partisan primary election May 18. The former mayor of Hillsboro captured 37 percent of the vote to runner-up Bob Stacey, an environmental activist, who received 35 percent. Coming in third was Metro councilor Rex Burkholder, whom the labor council and building trades council had supported.

Additionally, Loretta Smith has been endorsed by both councils in her bid for Multnomah County commissioner. Smith has spent the last 20 years working for U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden in Multnomah County, where she serves as his field representative.

Smith captured 18 percent of the vote in an eight-person primary, finishing second behind Karol Collymore, who garnered 36 percent of the vote. Both the labor council and building trades council backed Tom Markgraf in the primary. He finished third.

The building trades council also endorsed Shirley Craddick for Metro Council, District 1. Craddick is a Gresham city counselor and was the top vote-getter in a four-person race for an open seat on the regional council.