In Oregon’s Multnomah County, home to Portland, the progressive district attorney Mike Schmidt is being challenged by his deputy Nathan Vasquez, who is vowing to be tough on crime. This challenge highlights the growing pressure on liberal prosecutors across the U.S. amid voter concerns over public drug use and disorder. Schmidt took office during the social justice movement of 2020, following the death of George Floyd, which sparked protests in Portland and a national conversation about criminal justice reform. Progressive DAs in liberal bastions like the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle have faced setbacks as frustrations over public safety and homelessness have increased, prompting experts to see if a similar shift could occur in Portland.
Schmidt’s approach, common among progressive district attorneys, includes finding alternatives to imprisonment and refraining from prosecuting low-level crimes to reduce incarceration rates and address social inequities in the criminal justice system. Schmidt’s policy, announced during racial justice demonstrations in 2020, stated that his office wouldn’t prosecute protesters unless they were arrested for specific offenses like property damage or assault. Vasquez, endorsed by police groups, criticized this policy and Schmidt’s support for Measure 110, which decriminalized small amounts of drugs in 2020. State lawmakers eventually rolled back this measure due to a spike in overdose fatalities, and Schmidt supported reinstating criminal penalties for drug possession.
The race between Schmidt and Vasquez is seen as a test of voters’ tolerance after challenges like Measure 110 and the protests. Similar situations have occurred in other parts of the U.S., with progressive prosecutors facing recalls or shifts in voters’ preferences. In Alameda County, California, Pamela Price is facing a recall, while San Francisco voters ousted Chesa Boudin. Seattle also elected a Republican city attorney over a progressive candidate. Efforts to recall prosecutors in Los Angeles and Philadelphia have faltered, showing mixed outcomes in different cities. In Portland, voters have expressed concerns about homelessness, drugs, and crime, despite national trends showing a decrease in violent crime. Schmidt and Vasquez are the only candidates in the primary, with the winner likely to be elected if they receive more than 50% of the vote.
Public drug use and homelessness have become increasingly visible in Portland, with voters citing these issues as top concerns in opinion polls. Crime is also a significant concern, even though FBI statistics show a decrease in violent crime overall. Homicides hit a record 95 in 2022 in Portland but decreased to 73 in 2023, and shootings fell by nearly 22% over the same period, according to police data. The tough-on-crime approach tends to resonate well with voters, especially when they perceive problems like crime and homelessness not improving. The nonpartisan primary between Schmidt and Vasquez will determine the next district attorney for Multnomah County, with the winner likely to secure the position if they receive majority support from voters.
