Oregon is effectively a one-party state. Its Democratic primaries are rarely real contests: insiders usually beat outsiders.
So the fight over the party's direction plays out in nonpartisan city and county races, with no party label on the ballot.
One side is Portland's conservative candidates: business-backed Democrats whose politics have made them a magnet for Republican donors, people who have written checks to Christine Drazan, Knute Buehler and other Portland conservatives.
The four progressive candidates' individual donors who did the same: zero.
Not Republican. In Portland, it's a set of choices that keep showing up when the City Council splits down the middle.
Police moneyover police accountability
Tried to move $10M out of the police accountability office that 82% of voters created. May 19, 2026 · failed 6–6
Arena subsidiesover city services
$120M up front for the Blazers' arena, plus up to $275M for upkeep. Weeks earlier, a no on restoring 55 city jobs. July–Aug 2026
An oil terminalover climate commitments
Kept the Zenith Energy terminal's franchise alive in a 6–6 tie the mayor broke. Sept 23, 2026
Clark and Zimmerman side with the conservative bloc on about 95% of split votes.
Novick is the wild card. He breaks with them on police masking and ID rules and some other policing votes, but sides with them too often when the money is on the table. Conservative donors are finding him.
Brim-Edwards voted for $101.6M in county money for the same arena.
Arnold has no votes yet. He's a sitting Portland police officer who says the city "has fewer sworn officers than peer cities" and makes police staffing a priority. In 2021 he used force in 18 incidents, the most of the 465 officers who reported force that year; in 16, the bureau listed the person as transient. He tied for fifth in 2023. Ctrl-Alt-Defund analysis of Police Bureau data. His donors have the highest Republican and conservative rate of any candidate we checked: 44%.
Torres has no record in office yet. She's backed by the Chamber's committees.
Portland uses ranked-choice voting. Anyone you rank can end up with your vote, so only rank candidates you'd want to win.