Skip to main content
LiUNA Local 737, a union that represents 3,000 construction workers and laborers in the Portland area, has withdrawn its endorsement of Carmen Rubio for Portland mayor.
The yanking of its endorsement follows a story published by the The Oregonian on Monday that revealed Rubio had a history of over 150 parking and traffic citations, and managed to get her license suspended six times. She also failed to pay fines associated with those violations for months and sometimes years, the paper reported.
The union wrote in an email to candidates it endorsed for Portland City Council: “While we deeply respect the work that Carmen has done while on Council—such as much needed permitting reform—our Local was shocked by the information that came out today in [The Oregonian].”
Rubio said in a statement that she hopes to earn the union’s endorsement back.
“I respected LiUNA’s decision when they endorsed me because of my successful effort to consolidate the city’s permitting bureaus—and I still respect them today,” Rubio said. “I hope there will be an opportunity to earn it back.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, LiUNA’s endorsement was still listed on Rubio’s campaign website.