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From speeches in swanky bars to parties with aerial dancers, Portland's three leading mayoral candidates are still pleading for your attention—and your money.
But with 3½ months before the May 15 primary, a clear pattern in the way the mayoral candidates are collecting money—and how fast they're spending it—is already taking shape.
So, too, are the ways special-interest groups are lining up behind candidates Eileen Brady, Charlie Hales and Jefferson Smith.
Developers, construction firms, bankers, lawyers, health-care companies, high tech—people involved in these and other interests are giving big dollars to the candidates.
All told, the campaigns have hit the $1 million mark, and one candidate, Brady, accounts for more than half of that.
The million-dollar milepost is also notable, however, for what's missing: union money.
Many unions have stayed out of the race so far. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48 has backed Brady, while the union that represents most city workers, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, has endorsed Smith. But meaningful financial support from unions hasn't yet shown up in the candidates' finance reports.
Smith held a big fundraiser last week before state law shuts him down for a month: State legislators are prohibited from accepting contributions while in session, and Smith will be in Salem for a four-week session starting Feb. 1. (The ban will also affect Rep. Mary Nolan, D-Portland, in her campaign against City Commissioner Amanda Fritz.)
WW crunched the numbers in the candidates' campaign reports. Here is some of what we found.
WWeek 2015