A new poll of likely Portland voters shows challenger Sarah Iannarone leading incumbent Mayor Ted Wheeler by 11 percentage points.
The survey from DHM Research, first reported by Willamette Week on Monday, shows the largest gap between the runoff opponents since the May primary, when Wheeler received 49% of the vote and just missed out on the 50% plus one tally to win the race outright. Iannarone earned 24% of the vote.
Willamette Week reported the new poll was paid for by the Portland Business Alliance and has a margin of error of four percentage points.
The business alliance has endorsed Wheeler in the race. A spokesperson for the group declined to comment about the poll when asked by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
Iannarone’s campaign previously paid for a survey of Portland voters in June that showed she and Wheeler received about one-third of the vote with the final third undecided. The latest poll shows Iannarone receiving 41% of participants’ support and Wheeler 30%. Another 29% indicated they either were undecided or writing in a candidate.
Four years ago, Wheeler won the mayor’s seat in the May primary with 55% of the vote. Iannarone was among the candidates in that field and finished third with 12%.
Throughout his first term, Wheeler has faced criticism on his leadership in addressing homelessness and other city issues. Vocal disapproval of the mayor has intensified since June and has come from all sides. This includes members of the community calling on him to resign over police use of tear gas and other tactics on protest crowds and critiques from the Portland Police Bureau and other law enforcement agencies over him banning officers from using a potent type of tear gas on protest crowds. Wheeler is Portland’s police commissioner.
The business alliance-funded poll comes after another survey last month that showed 63% of respondents viewed Wheeler unfavorably.
The election is Nov. 3.
In a statement, Iannarone said she was encouraged by the latest survey.
“Polling doesn’t win elections, but this comes as no surprise,” she said. “My campaign talks to thousands of voters every week, and we’ve been ahead of the current mayor for months.”
Danny O’Halloran, Wheeler’s campaign manager, said internal polling numbers paid for by their campaign shows closer numbers than the new survey and that “we have a clear path to victory.” He declined to release their data. O’Halloran is Wheeler’s third campaign manager since December.
“Most voters are just tuning in to this race and that’s why such a large number of respondents in this poll are undecided,” O’Halloran said. “We are confident that once voters have the opportunity to get to know both candidates, these numbers move decisively in Ted’s direction.”
Wheeler is seeking to be the first Portland mayor to serve consecutive terms since Vera Katz’s three election wins in the 1990s and early 2000s. An Iannarone win would make her the fourth woman to be mayor of Oregon’s largest city.
— Everton Bailey Jr; [email protected] | 503-221-8343 | @EvertonBailey
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