Campaign 2016: Tim Kaine Comes to Town for Fundraiser

It's not every day that the presidential campaign comes to Oregon but on Friday, Tim Kaine - the Democratic Senator from Virginia and Hillary Clinton's running mate - was here for a fundraiser.

Kaine appeared at the Waverly Country Club in Southeast Portland at an event hosted by Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle and his wife, Mary.

Tickets to the event started at $1,000 and topped out at $27,000.

Many of Oregon's top Democrats were there including Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Earl Blumenauer.

There were also many Republican businessmen in attendance who expressed doubts about their party's nominee.

Also there was Portland City Councilman Nick Fish who, as can be seen in the pictures, got some time with the nominee.

"I was very impressed with him," Fish told Patch. "I had not met him before but have always been very impressed by his biography. Before today, he had been Dwight Holton's brother-in-law."

Holton, the former U.S. Attorney for Oregon, is the brother of Kaine's wife. As Patch previously reported, Kaine is a regular visitor to - and fan of - Oregon.

Fish says that he likes that Kaine - like him - was a civil rights lawyer for years before becoming a city councilman.

"He gave a really good speech," Fish says. "He got people fired up."

After starting with remarks about jobs and reforming money in politics, Kaine starting talk about the role of women in his life.

"It was very moving and struck a very positive chord with the audience," Fish tells Patch. "He talked about being a strong man supporting a strong woman in her run for office. He talked about all the strong women in his life, his wife, his mother.

"It was very moving, emotional. Had quite an impact on the audience."

After Kaine finished his prepared remarks, Fish - among others - had a chance to chat with him for a few minutes.

"I told him that as a former mayor, a former city councilman, he has a real opportunity to be a champion for an urban agenda," says Fish. "A champion for issues like housing.

"I told him he has the chance to be our champion and I think we are very lucky to have him."