(So, I was up in Sacramento on the tenant bus yesterday. This week, the Politics on Tuesday Column is called Politics on Wednesday.)
FEB. 19, 2014 — It was no surprise that Tony Kelly, who came close to winning the D10 supervisorial seat in 2010, formally took out the paperwork to run again today, presenting the only serious challenge so far to an incumbent on the board.
Kelly, flanked by community supporters, showed up at the Department of Elections, where he and his campaign treasurer, David Looman, filled out the forms that made the campaign official – although it was widely expected that he would run.
Kelly had more first-place votes than incumbent Malia Cohen last time around, but in a ranked-choice scrum with more than 20 candidates, Cohen emerged the winner, with Kelly in second place.
This time around, it’s unlikely more than a handful of people will file in the district – it’s much more difficult to take on a sitting supervisor who will have a well-funded campaign. So the D 10 voters will have a more clear choice between candidates with different visions of the district and the city.
I asked Kelly the question I always ask anyone who is taking on an incumbent: Why does Cohen need to be replaced? His response:
“It’s no secret that we’re in the worst affordability crisis ever. District 10 is right in the middle of the battle for the city’s future, with the most development sites, and plans to double the population. The D 10 supervisor has to be fighting full time to make this better.
“If you’re going to work to make sure the rich get more, then we need a change.” (more after the break)
