Rene Gonzalez (politician)
Rene Gonzalez | |
|---|---|
Gonzalez in 2024 | |
| Portland City Commissioner | |
| In office January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Jo Ann Hardesty |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Democratic |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Willamette University (BA, JD) |
| Occupation | Attorney, entrepreneur |
| Website | Official website Campaign website |
Rene Gonzalez is an American businessman, former politician, and a lawyer. He held a seat on the Portland, Oregon City Council from January 2023 to December 2024. He challenged incumbent commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty in the 2022 election, running on a platform that emphasized law and order and livability.
During 2024, Gonzalez faced a controversy over spending of public funds to redress his Wikipedia page. In October 2024, the city auditor’s office found that the spending had violated campaign finance law, a decision that was later overturned.
In the November 2024 elections, Gonzalez was a candidate for the position of Mayor of Portland. During the campaign, the first under Portland's newly instituted ranked-choice voting system, Gonzalez was the subject of an effort to convince voters not to rank him regardless of the voter's other preferred candidates. Gonzalez earned 20% of first ranked choices but ultimately finished the election in third place behind winner Keith Wilson and Carmen Rubio.