In the heat of a contentious race for Multnomah County District Attorney, candidates Mike Schmidt and Nathan Vasquez went head-to-head in their final debate, as protests over Palestinian rights simmered at Portland State University. According to KGW, this culminating face-off saw Vasquez attack Schmidt for dropping numerous protest-related charges dating back to his first summer in office in 2020.
Schmidt, having taken office amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the social upheaval following George Floyd's death, has a managerial approach to the role. "I’ve run a state agency, managed budgets, HR and grown these things. That’s the kind of experience that matters in this job, and that’s why I’m running again," Schmidt stated, as per KOIN. In contrast, Vasquez argues the community needs a professed "professional prosecutor and not a politician" to make the streets safe again, a sentiment born from his dissatisfaction with Schmidt's choices early in his tenure.
Despite some agreements, the candidates clash particularly over the implications of Measure 110 and recriminalized street drugs—an issue Schmidt initially endorsed but both now support changes to—debated intensely in anticipation of the laws taking effect on September 1. Schmidt maintains a stance on focusing connected resources towards treatment for substance abuse sufferers, while Vasquez does not shy away from incarcerating individuals causing disorder or violent criminals, especially if they're "dealing drugs to our children," Vasquez disclosed, per KOIN.
In the politically non-partisan landscape of this DA race, Schmidt has snagged endorsements from Democratic factions, teachers' unions, and social justice groups, while Vasquez boasts backing from first responders, multiple firefighters unions, and the Portland Police Association. With only these two contenders on the ballot, the victor of the May 21 primary will unavoidably assume the mantle of Multnomah County District Attorney. Indeed, the stakes for shaping the prosecutorial vision of Multnomah County's future are as high as ever.
