I may have been wrong about my assessment of the SF Democratic Party and the mayor’s race.
If the strategy of the Mark Leno and Sup. Jane Kim campaigns is to win a dual endorsement at the Democratic County Central Committee, they will need to change the rules, which currently only allow a 1-2-3 listing.
That would require a two-thirds vote. There are 31 members, including seven ex-officios (all of the state and federal elected officials from SF who are Democrats). So that’s 21 votes.
As of today, depending on how you count, there are at least 18 or 19 members who have endorsed or are likely to support either Leno or Kim. So a couple more votes could put that strategy over the top.
That would require the Leno folks to work with Kim’s campaign (the way Kim’s campaign helped Leno get a dual at the Harvey Milk Club) to swing the DCCC. Because neither candidate has the votes to get endorsed alone.
It’s not clear where, say, Angela Alioto would go when it becomes clear she isn’t even close to getting the endorsement; would she rather have it go to Kim and Leno or have a “no endorsement,” which is what the supporters of Sup. London Breed are going for?
Not clear where Mayor Mark Farrell will go; would he support Leno and Kim over Breed?
There would have to be some political dancing, but it’s actually possible that there could be enough votes for a dual.
If not, then the Kim and Leno campaigns would have to decide: Is it better for one of them to take second place, or for the party to stay out of it?
The progressive reformers who are trying to take on the state Democratic Party didn’t win any major endorsements this weekend at the party convention in San Diego, but they did have an impact.
Under the party’s rules, 60 percent of the delegates have to vote in favor of a candidate for an official party endorsement. With longtime incumbents, it’s usually pretty routine.
Not this time: Kevin DeLeon, who is challenging Sen. Dianne Feinstein, got 54 percent of the vote, just 150 votes (out of 2775) shy of getting the party’s nod to take on an incumbent. Feinstein got only 37 percent of the vote. The official outcome is “no endorsement,” but the message was pretty clear.
Lite Guv Gavin Newsom got 39 percent for governor in a crowded field; Antonio Villaraigosa, who is considered his strongest challenger, tanked with just 9 percent. John Chiang (30) and Delaine Eastin (20), who are far behind in the polls, combined for half the delegates.
It’s hard to shake up the state party, which has been controlled for years by powerful insiders. But if a four-term incumbent US senator can’t get the party nod, it’s a sign that things may be changing – that the grassroots organizing around party elections is having an impact.
The student press never gets the attention it deserves; campus newspapers constantly break big stories that either get ignored or stolen by the major media. So it makes me happy to note that The Guardsman, the City College paper, scooped everyone on the story that San Francisco hasn’t yet paid the bill for Free City College – and when both the Ex and the Chron picked up the story, they credited the Guardsman and reporter Michael Toren (who also writes for 48hills).
Not so the broadcast media: When I heard the story on KQED, the line was “The San Francisco Chronicle reported today ….” The TV and radio stations still, even in this new era of media, tend to read the Chron and repeat its stories.
Should have been “The Guardsman at City College reported today ….”
Because if the college paper hadn’t been on this, the news might not have come out at all.
We will all be missing Sharen Hewitt for a long, long time. For her many friends and grandkids and loved ones, the memorial service is Monday/5, at 11am, at Third Baptist Church.
Elitism. lol. Barf.
lmao – BTW, that is so effing racist to think that because someone is a POC and grew up poor they somehow are “woke” or are X, Y, Z because of their skin color or lack of privilege.
Nativism.
lol.
Barf.
What does that really mean? What are Leno or Kim going to do that is going to make a difference for the not-richest? And will those ‘changes’ actually be good for the City going forward? or will they just cement in place the electorate they’ve been cultivating (as in planting, watering, weeding, and green-lighting)?
Not really.
I agree. Pretty much any of the serious candidates is better than Breed.
I hope that people who support a change in the the political climate in San Francisco can support either Leno or Kim and not split the Progressive vote. I support Leno but Kim is better than Breed.
Ron Conway for Mayor!!!! Not a scintilla of difference between Ron Conway and London Breed when it comes to urban policy. Whoever has the most money gets the most!! Free Market Capitalism Uber Alles. Survival of the richest.
She was born here.
She cares about San Franciscans (not just bitter baby boomers)
She’s hot
Not being a carpetbagger is a qualification.
i want a hood rat for mayor!!! kiss it, progs!!!
Breed is a mess of contradictions. Her finger is in the shifting winds. Hates Tasers before, now supports them. Says she’s the affordable housing candidate then decreases percentage requirements for affordable units.
We don’t need more “deals cut.” We need honest, and strong leadership,that will stand up for the whole of San Francisco, not bow to the demands of the plutocrats.
Sorry, but it IS quite true. She has outright lied about her support of Airbnb, for example. When other things are brought up, she tries to deflect attention from them. She avoids facing the question of Ron Conway. And her record both as a supervisor and before is embarrassing.
I’m a progressive and Feinstein is too far center-right for me on some issues. But I don’t think this is the time to reject her. Why? Because the Republicans and Trump are often outwitted by her wisdom and perseverance and we need someone with experience and a good network in the Senate. Plus, because of her seniority, she is on many key commissions.
But almost everyone I know that wants her out say it is because she is “too old,” not because of any “purity test.” And I find them to be ageist.
“Street cred – Nativism – projects” are not qualifications for mayor, nor are they accomplishments. If “her heart is in the right place” was commensurate with results this city would be in a far better place.
this city needs a change in direction – one that works for all San Franciscans on many facets and issues. I have no nope for any of them, they’re either repeating the same mistakes from the past over and over (expecting different results) or are angling for higher office.
I appreciate London, in that she is a pragmatist. None of the other candidates can match her street cred as native San Franciscan who grew up in the Projects. London cuts deals, but her heart is in the right place.
“Breed most definitely can run on her record; her record is one of sensible, non-dogmatic compromises leading to meaningful results that are good for San Francisco. ”
name three.
Thanks for the specifics about Breed. lol!
Geek Girl says that all that time, but as is so often the case with her, trite repetition is just her way of making stuff up.
Breed most definitely can run on her record; her record is one of sensible, non-dogmatic compromises leading to meaningful results that are good for San Francisco. Time and time again. That’s why progressives treat her like an Uncle Tom. They need to demonize her. She is intimidating to them. And she will probably win.
Jane Kim is the one who can’t run on her record, because her record is all over the map. She’s pro-Twitter Tax break before she was against it. She was pro-housing, until she began pandering to the progressive dead-enders… then she turned anti-housing. Which Jane Kim is running for mayor? She is a mess of contradictions and failed policies.
Breed cannot run on her record, she has to run from her record.
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is the only way to go. Vote 1 2 and 3– ANYONE but Super Pac Breed!! When you question her record she’ll call you a racist……question her developer /speculator giveaways and she’ll call you a misogynist…….question her fatcat backers Ron Conway and DD Wilsey and she’ll call you a racist. Look closely at her record and her votes; it’s been 5 years. Don’t believe London’s hype.
Yes, DiFi failed the progressive purity test. Many of The Pure weren’t even born yet when she got the Federal Assault Weapons Ban Act passed in 1994 (now expired). She compromises with conservatives sometimes to get legislation moving. The Pure don’t approve of that.