PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland's presumptive Mayor-elect Keith Wilson gave a victory speech Thursday afternoon, speaking to supporters, other elected officials and city council candidates at the Charles Jordan Community Center. Votes are still being counted, but The Oregonian called the race for Wilson Wednesday night.
The trucking CEO and political outsider was initially considered a longshot candidate in a race headlined by three of the city's current commissioners, but he took a large lead on election night and remained far ahead when results were updated Wednesday, prompting second- and third-place finishers Carmen Rubio and Rene Gonzalez to concede.
Wilson will be the first mayor under Portland's new system of government, taking office in January alongside an all-new 12-member city council. The new structure tasks the council with setting policy and consolidates the city's administrative functions under a professional city administrator who will report to the mayor.
Read Wilson's full address below:
I've had an incredible journey this last nine months, getting to learn from the 100 or so people running, the different visions and goals that I've been able to wrap up into my ideals and idealism that are really going to carry our Portland forward. I'm proud of this experiment we just went through. So thank you all for coming.
It's great to have Charles Jordan on the photos along this hall. This is a very important place. I do want say one thing: I apologize for the bare bone set up. We were going to bring our signs and everything, but my campaign manager Christopher Taft just said that we are absolutely and completely broke — which is not a call for money. Out of nine months, it is not a call for money.
But I just, I appreciate that we ran this campaign like there was no tomorrow and that that bank account is empty is a credit to that. We did everything we possibly could in the moment we could, we answered every call, we went to every meeting, we took every speech and that is why I'm here before you today, because of the message we are able to share with Portland and the belief that you had in our future together.
So thank you for joining me today. There are many places in Portland that are special to me, but the Charles Jordan Community Center is one of the most particularly special. It's a place for families, for kids and emergency shelter in times of need. And where I spent much of my childhood.
Not long ago, I asked the community to join me here to talk about our future and to support me as a candidate for mayor. Portland is in a moment of profound transformation and opportunity. Voters in every corner of our city have made their voices heard. They want change, and for local leadership to work together to solve the issues in our community.
It's time to end unsheltered homelessness and open drug use, and it's time to restore public safety in Portland. It's time to grow Portland with smart effective local government as an ally to families and small businesses. It's time to restore and expand transportation options and to make sure that everyone has access in our new clean economy.
I've reached out to Governor Kotek, I've reached out to Mayor Wheeler and I've asked them for guidance during this transition. They have committed to me the full weight of their offices and I'm very proud to have that partnership and I will accept that from day one.
I've spoken with current council and incoming members, Metro Council President Peterson, Multnomah County Chair Pederson and many of Oregon's congressional delegation. All of these relationships will be critical in these coming days. Voters aren't interested in politicians pointing fingers, they just want us to get things done.
I've also reached out to many active leaders and citizens in our community for their support. We have some very challenging days ahead of us and we don't know what's around the corner. We'll need all of us on this list, and we'll need each other to lift each other up, to accomplish what we can in our city in our time of need.
I'd also like to thank my opponents, commissioners Carmen Rubio, Rene Gonzalez, Mingus Mapps and Liv Osthus. Their passion and innovation remains critical for the future of our city, and I'm grateful for everything they have and will continue to contribute to our community.
I want Portland to know something important: The goal of my administration will not be to focus in on only the visible issues like the terrible suffering on our streets. It will also be to focus on challenges that hardworking Portlanders are facing today.
Many families and small businesses in Portland are struggling with the high cost of living and the lack of affordable housing. They need to know their city leaders see the hardships they face, and work with them to make Portland work for everyone.
I grew up right here in North Portland. I'm incredibly proud to be before you today. This is an awesome responsibility and an awesome time in our city's future. My life and career along evolved alongside our city. We are rich in our diversity and are shaped by the many paths we all took to get here today, from those who have been here since time immemorial to those who came here seeking a better life, to our shipbuilders of Vanport and our shopkeepers of Albina, and to those immigrants and refugees who have only just arrived. Every neighborhood matters, every community matters, every person matters.
These are the values that we need to hold strong in these days ahead. There will be challenges and missteps, but I can promise you this: I'll approach this job with humility, and I'll lead on our shared values. We have so many new faces in city government, mine included. It's a transformative opportunity, but there's a big job ahead of all of us.
Our new form of government is more diverse, it's more representative and more consensus-based than ever before. Our reimagined city council structure was approved by voters to better represent our people and our values. Portland's future depends on building trust and collaboration between all of us and our new leaders. I'm up for the challenge and the opportunity to shape not just the structure but the culture of our new city government.
What does real change for Portland mean? In my administration, it will mean treating the crisis on our streets like a crisis. It will mean returning our city to the promise of "The City That Works" together. We can build a stronger and better community, and I call on each and every one of you to be a part of the hard and important work ahead.
Throughout the campaign I've often said there's nothing about us without us. I'm looking forward to fostering the working relationships and friendships in the new county — excuse me, in the new city council — to repair, restore and revitalize the city that we all love. I'd like to thank everyone for coming today. It's awesome turnout. I'll make myself available in the coming days for longer conversations.
For the moment, I'd like to thank you and I'd like to get back to the hard work ahead and get back to the job — get back to the job at hand. Thank you so much for coming. I appreciate your time.
