Joe Hagedorn earns endorsements of all three major Portland news outlets
May 1, 2026
[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Media contact: Molly Hiro, Communications Director | hagededornforjudge@gmail.com]
Joe Hagedorn, candidate for Multnomah County Judge, Position 14, has won the endorsements of all three major Portland-area newspapers: the Oregonian, the Portland Mercury, and the Willamette Week.
Hagedorn is the only candidate for an open judicial seat to have been endorsed by all three news outlets. (Peter Klym, a candidate for Position 12, also won all three endorsements. H, but he is running against an incumbent, Judge Adrian Brown.)
Acknowledging the “strength of the class of candidates,” The Oregonian described Hagedorn in its April 30 endorsement as a “top choice” because of his “current full time work as judge pro tem/referee.”
The endorsement was also based on observations of people in the legal community who, the Oregonian added, “spoke highly of Hagedorn and his unassuming character and long career of public service dating back decades to his work with domestic violence victims.”
In its April 29 endorsement, the Willamette Week also began by recognizing the strength of the field, stating that all of the candidates “have respectable endorsements; most have experience that would qualify them for this job.” “Still,” the endorsement continues, “in a competitive field, the standout candidate is Joseph Hagedorn” because of his “professional history--doing legal aid for domestic violence cases and as a public defender.”
The Willamette Week conducts a group interview as part of their endorsement process, and when they “asked his competitors whom they would pick if not themselves, Hagedorn easily won out.”
In their April 30 endorsement, the Portland Mercury cited a range of Hagedorn’s specific qualifications and accomplishments: “He previously served on a committee that worked to ensure more Portland police officers receive enhanced crisis intervention training and de-escalation techniques, and helped develop a treatment court program focused on offering substance use treatment to certain offenders in lieu of prison time.”
Moreover, they wrote, “We think Hagedorn has the right temperament, experience, and perspective to serve children, families, and those who find themselves at odds with the law before reaching adulthood.”
Commenting on the clean sweep of major newspaper endorsements, Hagedorn said, “I’m honored to be the only candidate for Position 14 to be endorsed by all three papers.” He added, “This shows that in the courtroom, experience matters.”
