Congressional Field in Flux

Kafoury and Nelson: out. Dexter and Tran: in?

Rep. Thuy Tran. (Tim Saputo)
By Nigel Jaquiss

The jockeying to succeed U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer in the 3rd Congressional District, which includes most of Portland, continues apace.

Former Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury, who would have likely been the favorite had she entered the race, told The Oregonian she won’t run, and state Rep. Travis Nelson (D-Portland) told Oregon Public Broadcasting he’s out too.

Former Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal, who, along with Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales, entered the race Nov. 1, announced she’d raised more than $109,000 in her first 72 hours as a candidate.

That flexing has not dissuaded two other House Democrats in Portland—state Reps. Maxine Dexter and Thuy Tran—from also considering entering the race. Dexter said she would decide soon whether to run, while Tran, a first-term representative from Northeast Portland who works as an optometrist and serves in the Oregon Air National Guard, didn’t respond to a request for comment.

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