A conversation with Sarah Iannarone: post-election activism in Portland share Sarah Iannarone is a former Portland mayoral candidate and Portland State alum. Iannarone first ran for Portland mayor in 2016 as a progressive candidate. A political outsider, Iannarone had never worked in city government, and she lost decidedly to Ted Wheeler. In 2020, Iannarone ran again, nearly unseating the incumbent Wheeler after his popularity sank due to his handling of nightly protests. She garnered coveted endorsements from fellow progressives such as Vermont Senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, as well as Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. However, despite her campaign’s momentum, Iannarone narrowly lost to Wheeler. Since then, Iannarone has started a progressive political action committee. She’s also begun working for The Street Trust, a Portland advocacy group.