As the person closest to Kate Snyder over the last 26 years, I’d like to attest to a few of the characteristics I believe would make her a great mayor.

As a professional and a public servant – as a mother, spouse and friend – Kate has always put others first. Again and again, I’ve watched her work hard to enlarge the people and causes that matter most to her.

Part of her effectiveness lies in the fact that she’s an honest and direct communicator, a consensus-builder who relishes results over attention.

But there’s also a quieter resilience to my wife – maybe the quality I admire most. She’s built her life on fairness and loyalty. She’s an optimist when the chips are down.

And, when she loves something fiercely – her city, her neighbors, her family – she’s a force to be reckoned with.

She’s lifted me more than once; I hope Portland gets the opportunity to feel the same.