Ted Wheeler

Ted Wheeler
Born	(1962-08-31) August 31, 1962 Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Businessman, politician
Years active	1993–present
Known for	53rd mayor of Portland, Oregon; Oregon State Treasurer; Chair of Multnomah County Commission

Edward Tevis Wheeler (born August 31, 1962) is a businessman and American political figure who held the office of the 53rd mayor of Portland, Oregon from 2017 through 2025. Identified as a centrist Democrat, Wheeler previously served as the state treasurer of Oregon between 2010 and 2016 and was the chair of the Multnomah County Commission from 2007 until 2010.

Wheeler secured his mayoral position in the 2016 Portland mayoral election and won reelection in 2020. Before aligning with the Democratic Party as a moderate, he was once registered as a Republican.

Early life and education

As a sixth-generation native of Oregon, Wheeler was born in Portland into a family with longstanding ties and wealth derived from the regional timber industry. His father, Sam Wheeler, served as executive vice president at Willamette Industries, a Fortune 500 lumber corporation established in 1967 through timber company consolidations. Sam Wheeler had previously sold Wheeler Lumber Company, which was founded by Edward’s great-grandfather, Coleman Wheeler, in Wheeler, Tillamook County, Oregon. After Sam divorced Ted’s mother, Leslie, in 1972 when Ted was ten years old, Ted later openly discussed his father’s struggles with alcoholism.

Wheeler completed his education within the Portland Public Schools system, graduating from Lincoln High School. He obtained a bachelor's degree in economics from Stanford University in 1985, followed by an MBA from Columbia University in 1989 and a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University. Professionally, he worked with various financial institutions including Bank of America and Copper Mountain Trust.

Political career

Wheeler’s entry into politics began with his candidacy for the Boston City Council, where he ranked 11th out of 12 candidates in the 1993 Boston City Council election. Up until 2001, he was registered as a Republican and was characterized as "the wealthy heir to a timber fortune dominated by social and fiscal conservatives." In the 2006 elections, Wheeler defeated incumbent Diane Linn to become chair of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, assuming office in January 2007.

Multnomah County Commissioner

Upon being elected chair, Wheeler collaborated with fellow commissioners to address a county budget that demanded $22.3 million in reductions for 2009. His efforts prioritized safeguarding social welfare programs and removing concealed fees associated with state-issued debit cards.

In response to nearly $16 million lost through investments tied to the Oregon Common School Fund and Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund due to misleading practices by investment firms, Wheeler joined Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum in filing a class-action lawsuit aimed at recovering these funds.

Wheeler concentrated on enhancing public infrastructure by spearheading construction projects such as new libraries located in Kenton and Troutdale and managing development of the East County Courthouse within Multnomah County. Additionally, he promoted initiatives to secure financing for repairs on the aging Sellwood Bridge.

During Wheeler’s tenure, Portland became the first city in Oregon to implement a "Ban the Box" policy that reduced employment barriers for individuals with criminal records by eliminating the checkbox regarding criminal history on job applications.

State Treasurer

On March 7, 2010, Oregon State Treasurer Ben Westlund passed away due to lung cancer. Just two days afterward, Governor Ted Kulongoski appointed Wheeler to fill the vacancy. Wheeler secured victory over Democrat Rick Metsger in the May 18, 2010 primary, and subsequently won the November special election against Republican Chris Telfer, Progressive Walt Brown, and Constitution Party candidate Michael Marsh, completing Westlund's term through 2013. He was then elected for a full second term during the Oregon state elections, 2012.

During his tenure, Wheeler pursued assertive financial strategies that resulted in cash flow savings exceeding $172 million since 2013. His environmental agenda included a commitment to double Oregon’s renewable energy investments by 2020 and again by 2030, alongside a pledge to refrain from new coal investments. He championed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria within state investment policies to improve sustainable returns and advocated for the Securities and Exchange Commission to enhance carbon risk disclosure requirements for major corporations.

As chair of the Oregon Retirement Savings Task Force, Wheeler played a key role in establishing the OregonSaves program, designed to assist residents in building retirement savings. Under his leadership, Oregon’s pension fund expanded to over $72 billion, placing it among the top five largest state pension funds nationwide.

Portland Mayoral Campaign

Wheeler announced his bid for Portland mayor on October 14, 2015, centering his platform on addressing income disparity and enhancing government transparency. He committed to creating a municipal government that serves all citizens, with particular focus on expanding economic opportunities for lower- and middle-income households while ensuring prudent use of taxpayer funds.

In October 2015, Wheeler earned endorsements from former Portland mayors Vera Katz, Tom Potter, and Sam Adams, along with Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis, State Representatives Lew Frederick and Tobias Read, former State Senators Ron Cease, Jane Cease, Avel Gordly, and 2012 mayoral contender Eileen Brady. Significant organizational support came from Basic Rights Oregon, the Portland Business Alliance, and the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council.

On May 17, 2016, Wheeler was elected mayor outright in the first round with 54% of the vote, thus avoiding a runoff election.

Mayoral Tenure

Wheeler was officially sworn in on December 30, 2016, with his term commencing January 1, 2017. Early in his administration, he allocated city bureaus among the five commissioners, including himself. He assumed direct oversight of the Portland Police Bureau, Portland Development Commission, and Portland Housing Bureau, among others, with intentions to review these assignments during the annual budget cycle in April.

In July 2018, The Oregonian revealed that individuals experiencing homelessness accounted for half of Portland’s arrests. As head of the police bureau, Wheeler recognized this as a critical challenge influencing budget decisions. By September 2018, community members petitioned both his office and local agencies demanding more decisive measures against expanding homeless encampments.

In September 2020, Wheeler declared plans to remove Portland from its partnership with Multnomah County’s Joint Office of Homeless Services to expedite relocating campers into shelters. A city auditor report from 2018 had identified frequent neglect of public complaints regarding transient camps—a response at odds with earlier enforcement efforts targeting illegal encampments during Wheeler’s administration.

Far-right demonstrations and opposing protests

In 2017, after white supremacist Jeremy Joseph Christian fatally attacked two individuals on a Portland train, Mayor Wheeler urged a cessation of far-right gatherings in the city. He refused to issue a municipal permit for a rally organized by far-right provocateur Joey Gibson and appealed to the federal authorities to rescind a permit granted for far-right groups to assemble at the federally managed Terry Schrunk Plaza. Wheeler mistakenly asserted that "hate speech is not protected by the First Amendment." The U.S. General Services Administration, however, declined to cancel the permit.

The 2017 and 2018 demonstrations frequently turned violent as far-right factions such as Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys repeatedly confronted antifa and other left-wing counterprotesters. In October 2018, Wheeler introduced a proposed ordinance aimed at enhancing his powers as police commissioner to regulate protests—specifying parameters on location, duration, timing, size, and enforcing separation between opposing groups—to curb violence. He described this as a legitimate time, place, and manner regulation intended to prevent street clashes. Nonetheless, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) opposed the proposal on constitutional grounds related to free speech and assembly rights and threatened legal challenges. Ultimately, the city council voted 3–2 against Wheeler's ordinance in November 2018.

In August 2019, Wheeler requested that Governor Kate Brown keep the National Guard on standby in anticipation of possible confrontations between far-right activists and antifa protesters; this appeal was denied by both Brown and state adjutant general Michael E. Stencel.

George Floyd demonstrations

On May 30, 2020, amid Black Lives Matter protests triggered by the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, Mayor Wheeler instituted a curfew in Portland. Critics contended that this curfew encouraged police to suppress free expression and escalate crowd-control tactics such as tear gas and stun grenades, which were deployed against demonstrators both locally and nationwide. This approach earned Wheeler the nickname Tear Gas Teddy. By June 2, citing a "notable [peaceful] change in tone," he rescinded the curfew. Although Wheeler requested deployment of the Oregon National Guard, Governor Brown declined.

Following police deployment of tear gas, Portland advocacy group Don't Shoot PDX filed a class-action lawsuit against the city on June 5. Wheeler affirmed his support for peaceful protests and instructed Police Chief Jami Resch to restrict tear gas use strictly to situations involving serious threats, stopping short of an outright ban.

On June 15, Wheeler advocated for reforming Portland’s police oversight system, criticizing its insufficient enforcement capabilities.

Protests at the federal courthouse intensified nightly in July as federal agents were deployed, resulting in violent clashes. Footage depicting unidentified federal officers detaining protesters led Wheeler to demand their withdrawal, labeling their presence as counterproductive. Oregon leaders including Governor Brown and Senator Jeff Merkley condemned the federal intervention; Oregon’s Attorney General subsequently filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security.

On July 22, during an address to protesters, Wheeler was met with boos and tear gas deployed by federal agents. Following this incident, Portland police declared a riot. By late July, federal personnel withdrew after an agreement with Governor Brown, restoring relative calm with predominantly peaceful demonstrations.

Despite this respite, renewed violence occurred on August 6–7 involving attacks on police precincts and assaults on civilians. Law enforcement arrested 13 individuals and deployed tear gas for the first time since federal forces had left. Wheeler condemned these violent acts as bolstering Donald Trump’s reelection efforts.

On August 31, demonstrators assembled outside Wheeler’s condominium demanding his resignation; fires were ignited and windows shattered. Police declared a riot and made 19 arrests. On September 2, citing safety concerns, Wheeler announced he would vacate his residence and issued an apology to neighbors.

Throughout these protests, activists repeatedly called for Wheeler’s resignation over what they perceived as inadequate responses to police violence, persistent demonstrations, property damage, homelessness issues, affordable housing shortages, rising gun violence, racial tensions, economic disparities, and pandemic-related difficulties. Critics highlighted his cautious handling of these challenges.

During December 2020’s Portland foreclosure protest, Wheeler firmly stated that "There will be no autonomous zone in Portland."

By year-end, although protest frequency diminished, remaining participants became more radicalized. On January 1, 2021, frustrated by ongoing vandalism and violence—including fireworks attacks targeting the Multnomah County Justice Center—Wheeler vowed zero tolerance toward criminal agitators and urged the Oregon Legislature to enact stricter penalties for repeat offenders. He committed to stronger opposition against destruction after prior de-escalation efforts failed.

In March 2021, following window-smashing incidents in the Pearl District, Portland police utilized kettling tactics to detain approximately 100 individuals suspected of criminal activity. Those detained were ordered to identify themselves; refusal resulted in arrests on various charges. Authorities confiscated weapons including crowbars and bear spray. Wheeler expressed strong support for this lawful tactic; many local residents and business owners concurred. However, civil liberties organizations criticized it as overly aggressive and indiscriminate. At a subsequent event, Wheeler dismissed calls for defunding the police or his resignation while reaffirming his dedication to democracy over chaos.

2020 reelection

During the 2020 race, Wheeler won a second term by defeating Sarah Iannarone along with several write-in contenders, such as Teressa Raiford. This victory marked the first time since 2000 that a Portland mayor was reelected. Iannarone, who works as an urban policy consultant and is affiliated with Portland State University, positioned herself to the left of Wheeler politically. Despite facing political headwinds, Wheeler secured backing from the Portland Business Alliance, labor unions, and environmental organizations. He obtained 46.07% of the vote, while Iannarone captured 40.76%, and write-in candidates collectively received 13.17%.

2024 election

In September 2023, Wheeler declared he would not pursue another term in the 2024 mayoral election.

Education

While serving as treasurer, Wheeler revitalized the Oregon College Savings Program, which hit a record $2.3 billion in assets by January 2015. The 529 savings plan offers tax-free growth on college funds and provides donors with an income tax deduction. As mayor, Wheeler endorsed shutting down ACCESS Academy, an alternative education program designed for gifted children whose learning needs were unmet by traditional neighborhood schools.

Environmental issues

Wheeler is a proponent of expanding Oregon’s funding for renewable energy initiatives and commissioned research to explore replacing fossil fuel investments within the state’s fixed income portfolio. He opposes any new coal-related investments and supported Portland’s prohibition on expanding fossil fuel infrastructure.

In 2018, Wheeler opposed a proposed 1% gross receipts tax on large retailers intended to finance a Clean Energy Fund, arguing that it duplicated efforts already provided by the statewide Energy Trust of Oregon. Although he opposed it, voters approved the measure by a significant margin.

Gun control

Wheeler advocates for enhanced gun control policies, including comprehensive background checks for firearm purchasers. In March 2018, he publicly endorsed The National School Walkout against gun violence and committed to pursuing a ban on assault-style weapons within Portland.

LGBT rights

Wheeler and his former spouse Katrina have been active supporters of Basic Rights Oregon. He earned their Fighting Spirit Award in 2008 after implementing full healthcare benefits for transgender employees in 2007 and has received endorsements from the organization. Wheeler also supports same-sex marriage and backed the 2013 Oregon United for Marriage campaign that sought legalization of same-sex marriage statewide.

Public safety

In his initial three years as Portland’s mayor, Wheeler increased the police department budget from $215 million to $242 million. He allows officers to conceal their name badges during protests and advocates eliminating the Portland Police Association’s "48-hour rule," which permits officers involved in fatal force incidents to delay questioning for two days.

Homelessness and housing

In November 2017, Wheeler convened meetings with city officials and local business leaders through the Portland Business Alliance to discuss safety issues. This led him to support "no sit zones" downtown—a policy welcomed by business groups but opposed by the Oregon ACLU and social justice organizations. Demonstrators organized sit-ins in protest against this approach.

By 2024, Wheeler introduced a preliminary plan aimed at tackling homelessness and expressed plans to prohibit daytime homeless encampments.

Personal life

Wheeler resided in Southwest Portland with his spouse and daughter. Following his divorce, he relocated to an apartment situated in Northwest Portland. As an Eagle Scout and passionate outdoor enthusiast, he reached the summit of Mount Everest in 2002.

He identifies as an Episcopalian and occasionally participates in services at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.

On January 24, 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Wheeler used pepper spray on a man who confronted him and former mayor Sam Adams outside a bar in Southwest Portland. The individual, Cary Cadonau—an heir to Alpenrose Dairy and a Portland attorney—was not wearing a mask and shouted at Wheeler from less than two feet away; after Cadonau refused to step back, Wheeler deployed pepper spray.

Electoral history

Oregon Treasurer Special Democratic Primary Election, 2010
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Ted Wheeler (incumbent)	216,214	64.91
Democratic	Rick Metsger	114,597	34.40
Democratic	Write-ins	2,273	0.68

Oregon Treasurer Special Election, 2010
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Ted Wheeler (incumbent)	721,795	52.94
Republican	Chris Telfer	571,105	41.89
Progressive	Walter "Walt" Brown	38,316	2.81
Constitution	Michael Marsh	30,489	2.24
Write-ins	Write-ins	1,738	0.13

Oregon Treasurer Election, 2012
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Ted Wheeler (incumbent)	955,213	57.84
Republican	Tom Cox	609,989	36.93
Progressive	Cameron Whitten	38,762	2.35
Libertarian	John Mahler	30,002	1.82
Constitution	Michael Paul Marsh	15,415	0.93
Write-ins	Write-ins	2,181	0.13

2016 Portland, Oregon, mayoral election#Portland Mayoral Primary Election

Portland Mayoral Primary Election, 2016

|- ! Candidate !! Votes !! % |- || Ted Wheeler || 105,562 || 54.67 |- || Jules Bailey || 31,955 || 16.55 |- || Sarah Iannarone || 22,831 || 11.82 |- || Bruce Broussard || 7,465 || 3.69 |- || Sean Davis || 5,217 || 2.70 |- || David Schor || 5,083 || 2.63 |- || Jessie Sponberg || 3,235 || 1.68 |- || Bim Ditson || 2,467 || 1.28 |- || Patty Burkett || 2,346 || 1.22 |- || David Ackerman || 2,255 || 1.17 |- || Deborah Harris || 1,636 || 0.85 |- || Lew Humble || 748 || 0.39 |- || Trevor Manning || 480 || 0.25 |- || Steven J. Entwisle Sr. || 405 || 0.21 |- || Eric Calhoun || 358 || 0.19 |- || Write-ins || 1,040 || 0.54 |}

See also

• List of mayors of the 50 largest cities in the United States

External links

• Mayor Ted Wheeler on City of Portland website