Portland Voters Oust Progressive District Attorney in Major Shift

Incumbent District Attorney Mike Schmidt, known for his soft-on-crime policies, concedes defeat to centrist challenger Nathan Vasquez, signaling a shift towards law and order in Portland.

Voters in Multnomah County, Oregon, have ousted incumbent District Attorney Mike Schmidt and replaced him with former Republican Nathan Vasquez, marking a significant shift towards law and order in the city of Portland.

Schmidt, a progressive DA who took office amid the George Floyd protests and received support from liberal billionaire George Soros, conceded defeat on Wednesday after a surge of last-minute ballots failed to close the gap against Vasquez.

Vasquez, a centrist and former Republican, garnered 55.7% of the vote compared to Schmidt's 43.8%, according to the National Review. This victory represents a major upset in one of the country's most reliably Democratic regions.

Vasquez, who served under Schmidt, has pledged to address the city's rampant drug dealing and drug use, while also connecting individuals to treatment programs.

"Prior to him coming into office, we ranged somewhere between 12,000 to 20,000 cases a year," Vasquez told Politico. "Under him, post-COVID, we were under 6,000."

After Schmidt's concession, local journalists and political commentators hailed Vasquez's victory as a sign that Oregon residents are demanding law and order, particularly in Portland.

"A victory for sanity," TurningPoint USA founder Charlie Kirk declared.

The New York Post Editorial Board denounced Schmidt as a "soft-on-crime, cop-hating district attorney" in a scathing column, praising Vasquez for his commitment to tackling public drug use and dealing, and restoring the DA's office to its intended purpose.

Other commentators, such as Xi Van Fleet and Jonathan Choe, pointed to Vasquez's victory as a rejection of progressive policies, similar to the defeat of Buta Biberaj in Virginia.

Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer acknowledged the growing dissatisfaction among Portlanders over the city's high levels of drug use and crime, which have galvanized residents into demanding change.

According to Republican strategist Dan Lavey, the election pitted "pragmatic Democrats vs. progressive Democrats fighting it out," with the former seeking a return to discipline and order.

Schmidt's office declined to comment on his defeat.

Vasquez's victory marks a significant departure from Schmidt's progressive approach, and a shift towards law and order in Portland. It remains to be seen how Vasquez's policies will impact the city, but his election suggests a growing desire among residents for a more traditional approach to criminal justice and public safety.