Voters oust progressive Portland prosecutor

Voters in Oregon have ousted the incumbent progressive prosecutor whose jurisdiction includes the city of Portland, which over the past several years has struggled with crime, homelessness and drug addiction. 

Mike Schmidt, the district attorney for Oregon’s Multnomah County, which includes Portland, on Wednesday night conceded defeat in the Tuesday nonpartisan primary election to Nathan Vasquez, a centrist and one of his deputies, according to the Associated Press.

Vasquez was endorsed by several police groups, and his victory comes at a time when progressive district attorneys and candidates in liberal areas in the U.S. also including San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle have faced setbacks as a result of crime and homelessness – problems voters have pinned on the progressive polices of prosecutors.

“The voters have made it clear that they are ready to take our county in a new and safer direction,” said Vasquez, according to the wire service.