Just Out 2008 Endorsements

Monday, April 21, 2008

Good morning you loyal Justout.com readers!

In case you missed it - and I'm not sure how you could have - Just Out was among the first Portland metro publications to offer our endorsements in this year's City of Portland, Multnomah County and state of Oregon political races, all in our April 18 issue still out on the stands.

Here's the run-down of the Just Out editorial board's endorsement decisions (see pages 18-21 in the print edition for this and much more on the 2008 races). Big ups again to artist Karl Giant for the gorgeous cover image!


Portland Mayor: Sam Adams
Just Out is proud to endorse Sam Adams, a tireless public servant and strategic civic leader, as the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city.

The most visible city commissioner, Adams has kept his 2004 campaign promise to “be there when asked.” Not that he waits for invitations. As the commissioner overseeing public utilities, transportation and environmental services and as liaison to the arts and culture and small-business communities, Adams has made gains in all these arenas.

The commissioner has thrown himself into projects such as bicycle safety and mindful city growth. He’s kept a watchful eye on sustainability and demonstrated a commitment to growing the city’s creative capacity by forming innovative public-private arts partnerships and opening the City Hall doors to First Thursday art showings.

The openly gay candidate has also demonstrated a commitment to equality unmatched by his mayoral opponents. Adams’ accomplishments in the gay rights arena include expanding health insurance benefits to domestic partners of all city employees; enacting nondiscrimination requirements based on sexual orientation for all contractors seeking work with the city; helping enact Multnomah County’s domestic partnership registry; expanding the city’s Civil Rights Ordinance to include nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; co-founding Q Center; and sponsoring the city’s Equal Benefits Ordinance, which requires contractors to provide health care benefits to domestic partners of employees.

The city of Portland is ready for action, not visioning, and Adams has the energy, commitment and wisdom to lead.


Portland City Commissioner, Seat 2: Nick Fish
The time has come for Nick Fish to take his place as a member of the Portland City Council. In a distinguished career that began as a legislative aide to openly gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and extends to his career as a civil rights lawyer, Fish has worked tirelessly to extend equal rights to all people. He has been an outspoken advocate of marriage equality, a leader on fair and affordable housing and a vital supporter of our city’s vibrant arts and culture community. Fish’s Just Out endorsement is well earned.


Portland City Commissioner, Seat 1: Amanda Fritz
Deep roots in community activism, fresh perspective and good humor are some of the qualities we believe Amanda Fritz can bring to the Portland City Council. “Equity and justice” may be two of her signature campaign buzz words, but some of her more singular qualities may have been earned in her unique 20-year career as a psychiatric nurse and as a mother of three. Fritz is a plainspoken, hard-working woman who cares deeply about this city and has often been a supportive “member of the crowd” in equal rights endeavors. Now, as a Portland city commissioner, Fritz is ready to lead.


Portland City Commissioner, Seat 4: Randy Leonard
Randy Leonard is the type of in-the-trenches commissioner who may not always be the most visible sexual minorities supporter, but he’s been there for the queer community when needed. A from-the-hip fighter for housing equality, neighborhood crime reduction and creative economic development programs, Leonard has earned another term on the council.


Multnomah County Commissioner, Seat 1: Deborah Kafoury
You just can’t keep a Kafoury down. Deborah Kafoury brings five years of state legislative experience to her candidacy and believes she can bring creative funding to the county because of her Salem roots. A supporter of same-sex marriage, she says domestic partnerships have opened a can of worms for county residents, and she would like to help educate and shepherd the process as legal kinks are revealed. Kafoury also has plans for a sexual minorities health task force to address health disparities within the queer community.


Multnomah County Commission, Seat 3: Judy Shiprack
A three-term state representative for Southeast Portland, Judy Shiprack, formerly Judy Bauman, directed Link Community Development Corp., an affordable housing nonprofit organization, for a decade and is a former Multnomah County deputy district attorney. Shiprack vows to staunchly defend community and school-based health clinics, which she says are often the private and neutral places where queer and questioning kids can speak with trusted adults. Shiprack’s seasoned skills should earn her respect and foster a collaborative atmosphere among the commission.


Multnomah County Commissioner, Seat 4
Just Out chose not to endorse any candidate in this race.


Attorney General: Greg Macpherson
When House Bill 2007 made its way to the Oregon House floor, it was Rep. Greg Macpherson, D-Lake Oswego, who carried the bill to victory, batting back almost two hours of brutal debate from equal rights opponents. Macpherson’s commitment to human rights doesn’t end there. His progressive work on treatment of criminals, payday loan caps and protections of the natural Oregon landscape are all vote-worthy accomplishments. Macpherson is the candidate best poised to reclaim Oregon’s initiative petition process for the state and to ensure all Oregonians are equally protected and supported by our laws.


Secretary of State: Kate Brown
Kate Brown has one of the most laudable records on equal rights initiatives of any candidate running this year. In her nearly 20-year career in the Oregon Legislature, Brown has championed comprehensive sex education, women’s health and reproductive freedom and inclusion of transgender identity in the Oregon Equality Act, our state’s new nondiscrimination law for sexual minorities. In a competitive race for a seat that has not been open for vote since 1984, Brown deserves the support of all fair-minded Oregonians.


Treasurer: Ben Westlund
Ben Westlund has worked both sides of the political fence, and his efforts as state treasurer offer the promise of bipartisan support on issues important to us all: education, health care and tax reform. Westlund has raised his voice for equal rights, drawing fire from Oregon Republicans for his support of same-sex domestic partnerships. A founder of the Oregon Cultural Trust and father of two, Westlund is committed to Oregon values and equity and will be a wise manager of our state’s resources in this unstable economy.


U.S. Senator: Jeff Merkley
Taken wholly, Jeff Merkley’s body of nonprofit and legislative work has helped build and empower educated, healthy, equal communities in Portland and across the state. From banning public school lunchroom junk food and expanding Oregon’s ban on smoking to helping bring Oregon’s equal rights laws for sexual minorities into the 21st century, this David Douglas High School alum has the most proven track record and is best poised to unseat incumbent Gordon Smith.