[February 6th, 2008]

Each of Portland’s top two mayoral contenders in the May 20 primary wants to paint the other as a guardian of the status quo. In reality, both represent powerful interests:

Commissioner Sam Adams is a longtime City Hall insider who was ex-Mayor Vera Katz’s chief of staff for more than a decade. Sho Dozono is a well-connected businessman whose travel company sails on government contracts (like serving as the booking agency for state employees in Oregon and Washington) and who’s advised by influential lobbyists.

You may not be able to judge a movement by its followers, but you can at least size up a candidate by his backers. Dozono counts on a “brain trust” of friends and advisers who aren’t on the campaign payroll. Team Adams reads like the A-list at an Oregon Democratic cocktail party. Here’s a glimpse:

SHO PEOPLE

THE BRAINS

Len Bergstein, power broker
Bergstein is a powerful lobbyist, consultant and political analyst who can be seen punditing away at election time on KGW.
Known for: Representing the Warm Springs tribes in their casino quest, which was opposed by Bergstein’s former clients, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde.
Take that, Mark: “The standard practice for Sam, and particularly for Mark, is to make his candidates the victim. [Wiener] is the defender of the status quo.”
Successful spin doctoring: Defended Dozono after WW reported Dozono had made improper loans to his companies from the trust fund of a dead friend’s son (“Sho Dozono’s Rules,” WW , Oct. 30, 2002). Five years later, Dozono’s doing fine.

Paige Richardson, brain trustee
Richardson ran presidential candidate John Kerry’s Oregon operation in 2004 and worked for Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s campaign in 2006. (See Murmurs, for more.)

Danelle Romain, brain trustee
With powerful lobbyist father Paul Romain, who’s leading the effort against Adams’ $464 million transportation tax package, Romain represents the Oregon Petroleum Association. She is also Len Bergstein’s stepdaughter. (See Rogue, page 12, for more on Romain and Adams.)

THE BASE

Taking a cue from Mayor Tom Potter, Dozono is set to begin a monthlong “listening” (nay, “action”) tour of Portland. Meanwhile, he can count on the anybody-but-Adams crowd, with ex-Katz staffer Amie Abbott as his campaign manager, and other former Katz-ers channeling the familiarity-breeds-contempt cause when it comes to Adams. Speaking of familiarity, Potter doesn’t get on well with Adams, and Potter’s wife, Karin Hansen , signed up early for Dozono. Potter appointees Bertha Ferran and Gale Castillo have helped Dozono with seed money and campaign advice, respectively.

SAM PEOPLE

THE BRAINS

Mark Wiener,

kingmaker
Wiener is a stay-in-the background advice-giver who backed four of five current Portland commissioners—Adams, Erik Sten, Dan Saltzman and Randy Leonard. (He’s staying out of this year’s other Council races, for now.)
Known for: Swearing like a sailor, decamping to Ireland, concocting buzzwords.
Back at you, Len: “When you make change like [Adams has], people who’ve been happy with the status quo and existing power relationships sometimes get upset. Clearly there are a couple of those who are strong, central backers of Sho’s campaign.”
Successful spin-doctoring: Advised Adams on countering rumors spread last year by potential mayoral challenger Bob Ball about Adams’ contact with an intern, then 17 (“Mayoral Race Off to Brutal Beginning,” WWire, Sept. 17, 2007). Ball ended up vanishing from the political scene.

Jennifer Yocom, campaign manager
A driver in the get-out-the-vote Bus Project, up-and-comer Yocom managed Erik Sten’s 2006 reelection campaign.

Kari Chisholm, webmeister
The co-founder of the Democratic water cooler BlueOregon.com, where nary an ill word about Adams is heard, is doing the candidate’s Web work.

THE BASE

Adams has used his years in City Hall to build a broad network, if not a machine. Scott Bricker of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance has been stumping for Adams’ $464 million transportation plan, which includes $25 million for bike projects. Bookmonger Michael Powell , chairman of Portland Streetcar Inc., and streetcar director Rick Gustafson like Adams, because Adams likes streetcars. Adams’ real-estate buddies include major downtown landowner Greg Goodman , hotelier Gordon Sondland and developers like Joe Angel and the Singer family.