It's official. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler is running for reelection.
Wheeler will make the formal announcement Monday at a gathering at Uncorked Studios, an inner East Side venue.
He says he’ll be joined by supporters including Commissioner Nick Fish and Metro Council President Lynn Peterson.
In most cities, an incumbent mayor running for a second term is the norm, but in Portland a mayor hasn’t sought a second term since Vera Katz ran for reelection in 1996. She would go on to win a second and a third term before leaving office in 2005.
Wheeler seemed on track to be yet another one-term mayor. Last year, reporters overheard him muttering "I cannot wait for the next 24 months to be up" after he was heckled during a public appearance.
Wheeler followed up with a statement acknowledging that he mutters "quite a bit," but said he had not made a decision whether to seek reelection. In recent months, he's repeatedly told reporters he will run — but has delayed launching his campaign.
So far, five candidates are running against Wheeler in the primary next May.
They include teacher Sarah Iannarone, diversity director Ozzie González and activist Teressa Raiford.
González and Iannarone lead in fundraising; each has raised about $30,000 so far. Wheeler has raised very little this year, but still has money left over from his last campaign.