BREAKING: Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler will not seek re-election

“Addressing our city’s critical challenges while, at the same, time, fundamentally re-shaping city government requires all of my attention over the next 15 months,” Wheeler said in a Wednesday release. “As such, I will not be seeking another term as your Mayor.”

He added, “I am a firm believer in public service and know that when government is accountable and responsive to the needs of the community, it can be a force for good. Serving as the elected mayor of Portland has been both humbling and the greatest privilege of my life.”

The Portland mayor first assumed office in 2016, and was re-elected in 2020.

At one point in time during his second term in office, Wheeler infamously revealed that he would be fleeing his own home due to concerns of it being burned down by rioters.

Wheeler reportedly stated that he believes several people have been waiting to find out whether or not he would make another run before kickstarting their own candidacy.

“I have great confidence in the steps we are taking to address the problems facing Portland today,” Wheeler wrote. “We will continue building on that progress to ensure Portland’s best years are ahead of us.”

This is a breaking story and will be updated.