Portland mayor-elect Keith Wilson embraces ‘the challenge and the opportunity’ of leading

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Portland’s mayor-elect Keith Wilson painted a hopeful picture for the city’s future before a packed auditorium of supporters Thursday afternoon.

“It’s time to end unsheltered homelessness and open drug use. It’s time to restore public safety in Portland,” Wilson told those gathered at the Charles Jordan Community Center in North Portland. “It’s time to grow Portland with smart, effective local government.”

Wilson, the CEO of Portland trucking company Titan Freight, accepted his win after his top three competitors conceded Wednesday night. He was elected in the first citywide election using ranked choice voting and will be entering a newly reconfigured city governance structure in January, which will include 12 brand-new city councilors. Wilson said he was proud to participate in the “experiment” of a new voting system and is ready for the changes in city government.

“Portland’s future depends on building trust and collaboration between all of us and our new leaders,” said Wilson, who grew up in North Portland. “I’m up for the challenge and the opportunity to shape not just the structure, but the culture of our new city government. It’s a transformative opportunity, but there’s a big job ahead of all of us.”

It’s not yet clear who will be joining Wilson in City Hall next year. Preliminary election results show several leaders in the City Council races, but results may shift when additional ballots are counted.

Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan is one of the candidates in the lead in District 2, which covers North and Northeast Portland. He has known Wilson since they were classmates at Roosevelt High School 45 years ago. Ryan, who attended the Thursday event, said he’s eager to see Wilson’s “outsider perspective” in City Hall.

“He’s so passionate about Portland and proud of this city,” Ryan said. “We need someone focused on keeping the momentum of progress going in City Hall.”

Wilson beat out Ryan’s colleagues on city council, City Commissioners Rene Gonzalez, Carmen Rubio and Mingus Mapps – in the mayoral race.

Other council candidates, city employees and local elected officials – including U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici – attended the event. It also attracted Portland business leaders, law enforcement labor representatives, and nonprofit leaders who had supported Wilson’s campaign.

“We are thrilled that our next mayor is a business leader whose core values reflect Portland,” said Andrew Hoan, CEO of the Portland Metro Chamber. He pointed to Wilson’s commitment to turning Titan Freight into the first trucking company in Oregon to convert to electric vehicles.

Wilson spoke to his dedication to green energy during his address, pledging to expand public transportation options. He also said he’ll focus on addressing the economic burdens on Portlanders by addressing housing costs and supporting small businesses.

Wilson said he will spend the weeks leading up to the start of his term meeting with incoming councilors and current elected officials to build relationships and discuss priorities.

“Voters aren’t interested in politicians pointing fingers,” Wilson told the crowd. “They just want us to get things done.”

Despite setting a high bar to address the city’s most intrinsic issues, Wilson didn’t promise perfection.

“There will be challenges and missteps,” he said. “But I can promise you this: I’ll approach this job with humility and I’ll lead on our shared values. It’s a transformative opportunity. But there’s a big job ahead of all of us.”