Democratic Party’s progressive left tanks in Oregon as deep-blue voters inch right

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Leftist Democrats suffered an electoral beatdown in their backyard of Portland, Oregon, this week, and not even megadonor George Soros could save them.

The party’s woke wing came up short Tuesday in key primary races, a sign that even voters in liberal-leaning states are having second thoughts about the social justice revolution amid rising crime, homelessness, open drug abuse and antisemitism.

How bad was it? Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, a so-called Soros DA elected with the support of the Democratic megadonor, lost by 54% to 46% to Nathan Vasquez, a veteran tough-on-crime prosecutor who was until a few years ago a registered Republican. 

“I spoke with Mike Schmidt this afternoon and he conceded the election. I want to thank him for his professionalism and service to our community,” Mr. Vasquez said in a post on his campaign’s Facebook page.

Although there was a write-in option, Mr. Vasquez got more than 50% of the vote in the nonpartisan primary and so will take office outright without a runoff in November.

Four years ago, Mr. Schmidt won with 77% of the vote. His decision to drop an estimated 90% of riot-related cases from the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and pursue “restorative justice” became an issue in a city plagued by lawlessness and drug overdoses.

Clackamas County Commissioner Ben West congratulated Mr. Vasquez after his primary win, saying that “finally, Portland will have a DA that respects the rule of law.”

“With this electoral outcome, Portland and all of Oregon got safer, more just, more respected, and less ideologically extreme,” Mr. West said on X.

In another closely watched race, the Congressional Progressive Caucus lost an opportunity to pad its numbers with the Democratic primary defeat of Susheela Jayapal, a former Multnomah County commissioner, to Oregon state Rep. Maxine Dexter.

Ms. Dexter will succeed retiring Rep. Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat who has represented the district for 27 years.

Being pro-Israel is good policy and good politics!

AIPAC members were proud to support Maxine Dexter against her anti-Israel opponent backed by @BernieSanders, @AOC and @jstreetdotorg. https://t.co/TMAQuzQGG5

— AIPAC (@AIPAC) May 22, 2024

Democratic voters picked state Rep. Janelle Bynum over her more leftist opponent, lawyer Jamie McLeod-Skinner, in the 5th Congressional District primary. Ms. Bynum will face Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer in November.

With 63% of the vote counted, Ms. Dexter, a doctor, had garnered 51% of the vote and was declared the winner by The Associated Press. Ms. Jayapal was in second place with 28%. The other four candidates split the remaining votes.

“I want to congratulate Rep. Maxine Dexter for winning the Democratic primary for Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District,” Mr. Blumenauer said. “Maxine has proven herself to be a serious and effective legislator. I am confident she’ll take this success with her to Washington, D.C.”

Others congratulating Ms. Dexter included the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which said its members were “proud to support Maxine Dexter against her anti-Israel opponent.”

“Being pro-Israel is good policy and good politics!” the group said on X.

Ms. Dexter benefited from the support of the 314 Action Fund, which spent $2.2 million on ads on her behalf and whose donors included Israel supporters such as former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Voters for Responsive Government spent $3.2 million against Ms. Jayapal’s bid.
 
Ms. Jayapal congratulated her opponent for her victory while blasting the “outside super PACs [that] came in and spent an unprecedented $6 million.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Washington Democrat and chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, is “among the most outspoken critics of Israel in the House,” Jewish Insider said. Her sister also raised concerns among Jewish and pro-Israel voters after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians.

Susheela Jayapal condemned Hamas’ assault on Israel but called for a cease-fire in November. She blamed “the Netanyahu government’s response” for a “horrific humanitarian tragedy.”

As a commissioner, Susheela Jayapal voted against a resolution to light the Morrison Bridge in Portland in blue and white and refused to sign a joint commission statement of support for Israel.

“I don’t think I can acknowledge the loss of one group when there are Palestinian lives being lost as well,” Ms. Jayapal said, according to an Oct. 12 article in the Willamette Week.

She issued a statement condemning Hamas’ “appalling terror attack on Israel” and said her “heart breaks for all those across Israel and Palestine who are living in a state of war.”

Breaking: Votes are still being counted in the Portland-area but it is expected that residents have voted to fire Soros-funded Antifa supporter @DAMikeSchmidt as the prosecutor. A moderate challenger, Nathan Vasquez, is projected to win. https://t.co/Mt6vA5hv3I

— Andy Ngô  (@MrAndyNgo) May 22, 2024

Mr. Schmidt’s defeat follows those of other defendant-friendly prosecutors, including the 2022 recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and the 2022 primary ouster of Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

“This is a big deal. Another far-left, Soros-funded prosecutor was just defeated by a tough-on-crime challenger,” said the public policy group America 2100. “This happened in Portland, Oregon — one of the most left-wing cities in the country. The soft-on-crime era is coming to an end.”