Clackamas County Commissioner Mark Shull loses to political newcomer Melissa Fireside

Clackamas County Commissioner Mark Shull, the incumbent whose incendiary remarks about Muslims marked the start of his term, has lost his reelection bid to Lake Oswego business owner Melissa Fireside.

With nearly all ballots counted as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, Fireside has maintained a lead that Shull will not be able overcome based on an Oregonian/OregonLive analysis of the results.

Fireside won with 52% of the vote compared to Shull's 48% — a margin she has had throughout vote counting. She is ahead by about 6,000 votes.

Fireside, a Democrat, said she ran to bring "prosperity and a competitive edge" to the county.

Fireside and Shull, a Republican, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shull's fellow conservative on the board, Chair Tootie Smith, also lost her seat on the board, to retired Sheriff Craig Roberts . Roberts won 57% of the vote to Smith's 43%.

Commissioners are elected to four-year terms; each receives a salary of $130,213. While the five seats on the Board of Commissioners are nonpartisan, Shull and Smith were part of a conservative voting bloc.

Shull, 72, a military veteran from Sandy, ran against Fireside, 43, a construction management consultant who sought elective office four years ago but lost her bid for a seat on the Lake Oswego City Council.

Shull also was a political novice in 2020 when he secured just over 50% of the vote to oust former Clackamas County Commissioner Ken Humberston.

Early in his term, Shull drew intense scrutiny for his xenophobic comments on Islam, Muslim people, transgender people and the Black Lives Matter movement, which he called "a pawn for the rise of neo Marxism." He compared elected leaders' calls for his resignation with "cancel culture."

Shull declined to be interviewed about his reelection bid, taking written questions instead. He raised about $7,000, campaign finance records show. On his campaign website, he noted that he wants to "stop the focus on campaign contributions and the amount of money a candidate" raises.