A race for Portland mayor that once looked like it could be a closely fought competition turned out to be a blowout.
The police union played a strange role in the mayor's race: Along with the firefighters' union, the Portland Police Association backed Smith until WW reported that he was charged with misdemeanor assault in 1993 for punching a woman.
The mayor's race appeared deadlocked throughout the summer—and may have even been breaking in Smith's favor after he and Hales dispatched businesswoman Eileen Brady in the primary.
Hales' image has also been tarnished. He lied about living in Washington state while voting in Oregon (and avoiding Oregon taxes), and he recently broke a promise to limit campaign contributions to $600.
WWeek 2015