Portland mayoral candidate Carme Rubio faces backlash over traffic violations

Carme Rubio, a candidate for mayor in Portland, has faced significant backlash after her extensive history of traffic violations came to light. Over the past 20 years, she has accumulated 150 tickets and citations, leading to her driver's license being suspended six times. This revelation coincided with a recent incident where she damaged a 2022 Tesla in a parking lot and failed to leave a note for the owner. Surveillance footage captured her vehicle scraping the Tesla, and despite initially claiming she saw no damage, she later admitted to being careless due to stress from her campaign. In a conversation with the Tesla's owners, Rubio expressed her embarrassment and frustration, stating that she felt 'worthless' and even considered dropping out of the race. Initially, she offered to pay for the damages personally but later opted to go through official channels, citing her public figure status. Following the incident, a group that had previously supported her withdrew their endorsement, stating that her actions contradicted their values. Rubio publicly apologized, acknowledging her mistakes and emphasizing her commitment to accountability and hard work for the community. While other candidates in the mayoral race also have traffic citations, Rubio's record is notably worse, raising questions about her suitability for public office. The fallout from this incident highlights the challenges Rubio faces as she campaigns for mayor, as her past behavior may undermine her credibility and support among voters.