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About

Liv Osthus, also known as Viva Las Vegas, is not your typical mayoral candidate. A renowned Portland stripper, a passionate advocate for free speech, a strong proponent of the power of art to transform, Viva brings a truly fresh perspective to the political arena. Beyond her stage persona, Liv is a published author, writer, and musician, deeply ingrained in Portland's cultural fabric. Her vision for the city centers on revitalizing small businesses and the arts scene, recentering Portland on its vibrant soul. With a focus on hope and inspiration, she offers a refreshing approach to leadership, emphasizing listening and connection over traditional politics. Hers is a bold voice for change, ready to lead Portland into a brighter future.

 

Originally from the Midwest, Liv moved to Portland in 1996 after graduating from Williams College with a degree in cultural anthropology. She is a mother to eight-year-old Charlotte and has a 12-year-old bonus daughter, Beckett. Her partner is the artist Michael T. Hensley.

Endorsements

Portland Mercury:

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"Liv Østhus, AKA Viva Las Vegas, is an obvious political outlier. Her background as a stripper, bartender, writer, and artist is far from the laundry list of City Hall staffers-turned candidates, or nonprofit executives eager to make a political splash.

That’s part of what makes Østhus both intriguing and surprising. She entered the mayor’s race with a vision of bolstering Portland’s art scene. She’s talked about the power of arts and music as an oft-unsung economic engine, driver of tourism, and city revitalization—and we think she’s right. 

    She advocates for the city to create “cheap and abundant art spaces, while retooling existing downtown infrastructure to boost the city’s low-income housing supply.”

Østhus acknowledges her lack of government experience, but says under Portland’s new government structure, that’s not as important as it once was.

    She envisions the new mayor’s role as “more of a figurehead and a cheerleader” who can listen to and connect with Portlanders while bringing “enlightened and charismatic leadership.”

In her personal life, she’s raising a young daughter and previously battled breast cancer. Her cancer diagnosis ultimately led to a double mastectomy. 

    Unlike most of the other political newcomers in the mayor’s race, Østhus ran a serious campaign, raking in enough individual donations to qualify for more than $85,000 in public financing through the city’s Small Donor Elections program. She’s also in tune with what’s happening at the local government level, from homelessness policy to tax increment financing (TIF) districts that will bring groundbreaking redevelopment projects to many neighborhoods.

She’s firm in her support of downtown revitalization efforts. As a longtime dancer at Mary’s Club, she’s seen the transformation of downtown and the hit it took during the pandemic. But she doesn’t think the city needs to displace or put more burden on its unhoused population to achieve that.

    Make no mistake: Electing Østhus would be a bit of a gamble. Many doubt her political acumen and question her lack of experience. It’s a fair criticism. And while we applaud her focus on revitalizing the city’s arts offerings, we’d like to see her emphasize solutions to the housing and homelessness crises a little more heavily in her campaign. 

    But we also think many voters have been too quick to count her out. What if she’s the next Bud Clark? Clark, a local tavern owner, was elected mayor in the mid-‘80s with no prior political experience, yet managed to accomplish a lot, while producing the somewhat-iconic (at least around PDX) Expose Yourself to Art poster. 

    Østhus knows she’d be at a bit of a disadvantage, but she also knows when to seek guidance from policy experts and talented city staff. 

She’s funny, candid, and unabashedly authentic. We can’t think of another candidate who exemplifies Portland more than her."

Willamette Weekly:

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"We laud Liv Osthus, best known as a dancer at Mary’s Club, for bringing some lightness to a mayoral race that’s felt dimmer than a busted light bulb. Her campaign message is simple: hope."

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"As a lifelong Oregon resident, I love Portland’s vibrant arts and want a mayor who will help it thrive. Liv’s connection to the arts and commitment to strengthening our community makes her my choice. I believe her approach of kindness and understanding is key to addressing housing, safety, and houselessness issues.”

—Jillian North
Program Coordinator Viva for Portland

Portland for All:

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"Liv, known by her stage name Viva Las Vegas, is a writer, musician, actress, stripper, and activist. Her vision for the city centers on revitalizing small businesses and the arts scene, recentering Portland on its vibrant soul. With a focus on hope and inspiration, she offers a refreshing approach to leadership, emphasizing listening and connection over traditional politics.

    Protecting, honoring, and listening to the climate is Liv’s top priority because, ultimately, every conversation—be it about housing justice, re-energizing creative communities, or empowering small businesses—has to begin and end with our beautiful planet. Her team will also drive improvement management, oversight, and transparency."

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I am supporting Liv Østhus for mayor because she embodies several new and welcome aspects of political leadership, and perspectives that have long been missing from Portland's government: - as a longtime resident of Portland who has weathered both busts and booms here, and who has seen how both sides of the economic cycle can both develop and fray the community - as an artist who has devoted decades to making this city a brighter, more interesting, more beautiful place, and who has depended upon the city's liveability to do so - as a person with experience in the service industry, who deeply understands and can represent the concerns of the working class and the precarity of those on the economic edge, who feel our acute cost of living and housing pressures most of all - as the single mother of a young child, who has a huge stake in how opportunity and public safety are restored, and restored equitably, in the city they call home - as someone whose work downtown has brought her into constant contact with our neighbors struggling with houselessness and addiction, and with workers, small business owners, and citizens who are struggling to keep the city vital through the retrenchment our urban core has suffered - as a candidate who relates well with the new crop of city council candidates, and who approaches conversations with creativity, collaboration, humanity, and spirit - as a leader who has inspired the participation of Portlanders who have often felt left out of our city's politics, but who have become engaged first-time donors and volunteers Østhus understands the serious challenges Portland faces, as well as the generational opportunity offered by the coming change in the form of city government, and can motivate Portlanders to meet the moment as we must, to ensure that this is a city that works for all of us. 

—Matt Green
Change Management Consultant

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“Planet and climate first - because otherwise, nothing else really matters. Liv is the only candidate who has the environment as her first priority.” 

—Aija Kanbergs
(retired librarian)

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“ As a former Portlander, fellow musician, and one-time neighbor of Viva’s, I’ve seen up close how she brings projects to life, overcomes challenges and inspires with her integrity, creativity, and compassion. Leaders take many forms. I support Viva for mayor of Portland. ” 

—Britt Daniel
of Spoon

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"Portland needs someone with a fresh, creative approach to lead the city into a more inclusive future. Liv sees better support for Portland’s small businesses and a vibrant arts culture as critical to restoring our sense of hope and wonder about this wonderful place where we live. 
Osthus has the compassion and grit we need to deal with tough issues of homelessness and addiction. She’ll use her experience as an artist, writer, musician and food service worker to bring the Portlanders often forgotten into the process of rebuilding the city. Osthus wants to bring downtown back to life and make sure every neighborhood gets a fair share of the city’s attention. I hope you’ll join me in supporting Viva for mayor."

—Jim Dixon
Small Business Owner

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“By coming from a place of optimism, of belief in the power and beauty of what we have here, Liv Osthus brings a fundamentally different option to you as a Portland voter.” 

—Jed Alger
Small Business Owner

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“Diva of the Demimonde."

—Katherine Dunn
Author

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“As someone who’s worked in Portland’s nightlife industry like Viva has for many years, I believe in her plan for Portland. She has worked downtown for over a decade and has witnessed all of the changes there, is well read and well spoken, and is part of the arts and music community. She has an uncanny ability to connect with people from all walks of life. We need a mayor who is part of the working class, a creative problem solver. We need the return of a ‘citizen mayor’. Viva is just that.”

—Kate Cloud
Entertainer & Event Organizer

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