Will Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt dodge voters’ wrath?

Portland and Multnomah County voters are casting ballots this week in a number of local contested races. Candidates in each of them have offered competing visions for how to best address some of the most pressing issues facing Oregon’s most populous county — be it crime, livability concerns or the deadly fentanyl crisis.

In particular, the outcome in the race between Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt and challenger Nathan Vasquez, a longtime prosecutor in that office, could have a profound impact on key policy decisions and priorities in those areas — and provide a telling look at where the Portland area stands politically after weathering some of the most chaotic years in recent memory.

On the latest Beat Check, reporters Shane Dixon Kavanaugh and Noelle Crombie discuss the state of that closely-watched race.

Read More:

• Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt and challenger Nathan Vasquez locked in tight election battle as drug use, crime distress voters
• Nathan Vasquez leads in matchup against Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt, poll finds
• Multnomah County DA race: Fact-checking candidate claims about crime, caseloads and convictions
• Multnomah County DA candidates trade barbs, blame in televised debate
• Portland protests shape District Attorney Mike Schmidt’s young tenure: Now what? (from May 2021)

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