Liv Osthus, an exotic dancer more commonly known under her stage name, Viva Las Vegas, is setting her sights on the Portland mayor's office with a promise to turn around the city's issues with crime, homelessness, and drug use. Osthus, a 49-year-old mother, author, and musician, looks to transition from her advocacy for sex workers to a leadership role in the city's government.

Despite lacking experience in politics or management, Osthus aims to directly confront the city's challenges by tapping into the creative energy of its artists. She plans to invigorate the downtown area with renewed vibrancy, proposing to convert empty office spaces into studios that could become the heart of the community, according to a statement obtained by KGW News. Osthus is betting that these transformations will quickly attract cafes, restaurants, and an energetic atmosphere.

Her unconventional path to candidacy began after Osthus graduated from Williams College with a degree in anthropology. She moved to Portland in 1996 and funded her burgeoning music career through stripping, a decision that also stemmed from her academic curiosity about the empowering potential of sex work. "We were studying brothels in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and how that was one way for women to get out of very stringent patriarchal structures and have money," Osthus told KGW News. "Money is power in capitalism, and it all clicked in my mind, 'This was empowerment.'"

Osthus acknowledges that some may doubt her qualifications to handle the role of mayor but asserts that leadership is more about symbolizing hope and rallying the city council’s wisdom than knowing everything. "The mayor doesn't need to know everything," Osthus told KGW News. "Nobody could know everything." She envisions the mayor as someone who listens, connects, and, most importantly, inspires change.

Osthus's campaign comes at a time when Portland is grappling with significant social issues. Last year, the city saw some 6,300 people experiencing homelessness on its streets, as well as 527 overdoses. Data such as this underscores the challenges that the would-be mayor hopes to address, intending to usher in an era of optimism for the city's future. "I think now is the time in Portland. We've seen mayors that try their hardest to affect what's going on downtown, and it hasn't worked. I think it's time for a message of optimism: Portland is blooming," Osthus expressed optimistically in an interview with KGW News.

The dancer-turned-politician's campaign speaks to a broader narrative where individuals from varied and unconventional backgrounds are stepping into political arenas, aiming to redefine what it means to serve a community. As a candidate for Portland's highest office, Osthus represents a fresh, unorthodox attempt to tackle the city’s most persistent problems. KGW News, Daily Mail, and NY Breaking have reported on this unique mayoral bid.