Multnomah County prosecutor Nathan Vasquez speaks to supporters at the election night party at The Hoxton Hotel in Portland, Ore., May 21, 2024.
Conrad Wilson / OPB
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt has lost his reelection bid.
In an Wednesday afternoon statement, Schmidt said he called to concede his seat to opponent Nathan Vasquez, a longtime prosecutor in Schmidt’s office.
“While we do not always see eye to eye, I am committed to a smooth transition,” said Schmidt. “Thank you to this amazing community for the support they have shown for this campaign. And thank you for the opportunity to serve these past four years. It is an honor I will cherish for a lifetime.”
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As of 7 p.m. Wednesday, Vasquez had won 54% of the vote, with Schmidt trailing at 46%.
Vasquez’s victory signals a shift in how Multnomah County voters want their criminal justice system run.
Clare Schmidt, left, looks on as her husband Mike Schmidt addresses supporters on election night at the Jupiter Next Hotel in Southeast Portland, Ore., May 21, 2024.
Alex Zielinski / OPB
Schmidt entered office in 2020, riding a national wave to elect reform-minded prosecutors. Much of his work was delayed by numerous crises that took precedence over the past four years — ranging from monthslong nightly racial justice protests to an expansive homelessness crisis to record gun violence and homicides. Critics have blamed Schmidt for these crises, while his supporters say he was dealt an unfair hand.
Vasquez entered the race to the right of Schmidt, pledging to go further than his boss to hold people accountable for lower level crimes, improve the office’s collaboration with law enforcement, and strengthen workplace morale. Several of Schmidt’s employees have accused him of sexism, saying more opportunities have been given to men. Schmidt has rejected those claims.
On Wednesday, Vasquez said he is humbled by the opportunity to serve as the county’s top prosecutor.
“I’m very excited and energized and I’m just really ready to kind of get in there and start doing the work,” he told OPB.
He said his first year in office will focus on overseeing the new state law that recriminalizes the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. He promised to work hard to make the city’s downtown streets and parks feel safer.
“It’s not gonna happen overnight,” Vasquez said. “But my sincere hope is that we’ll be making some real progress in that area.”
Schmidt intends on serving out the end of his term, which expires on Dec. 31. Vasquez said he doesn’t plan on asking Schmidt to step down before his term is through.
But: “If that changes, I’ll be ready, willing and able to step in and take on that role,” Vasquez said.
OPB’s Conrad Wilson contributed reporting to this story