10 Things I Think about the June Primary
Why isn't George Soros putting money into the Alameda County DA's race this time around?
1. If Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern does win re-election outright on June 7, the aftermath will be interesting in two different ways: Will Ahern retaliate in some way against Yesenia Sanchez, who works at Santa Rita Jail, or against those within the sheriff’s department that dared to support or say positive things about her candidacy? Conversely, how will Ahern benefit those who supported him in this campaign? Following a podcast we recorded a few weeks ago, we spoke with a sheriff’s deputy who said she was supporting Ahern, then she coyly smiled and expressed there was some kind of benefit for supporting the sheriff.
2. It’s interesting that George Soros, the financier of so many progressive causes, has not entered the Alameda County District Attorney race this primary season for candidate Pamela Price. Soros is spending money in the Contra Costa County District Attorney race this spring in support of Contra Costa County DA Diana Becton’s re-election. Four years ago, Soros spent heavily in support of Price’s bid to unseat Alameda County DA Nancy O’Malley. Soros also supported Becton four years ago.
3. After years of being on the ballot, most believe Pamela Price is well-known enough to get her into the expected November runoff for Alameda County DA. She should hope so, because I don’t think she’s run a good campaign. It feels stale and repetitive. Countywide races are a whole new different animal, and I question Price’s decision to hire two progressives to run her campaign, both of which have no experience in running such races, nor the ability to reach out to left-of-center and moderate voters that Price needs to win the whole thing.
4. There’s absolutely no question that Rebecca Kaplan is the best candidate to replace Wilma Chan on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in District 3, in addition, to being the best-suited to mesh with the bullies on that board. But Kaplan doesn’t seem to be hustling for this valuable seat. She also doesn’t understand that Oakland is somewhat inconsequential in District 3. Case in point, Kaplan’s campaign spent thousands in media buys with newspapers not associated with the vast majority of the Alameda and San Leandro-centered district. She bought ads with the Oakland Post, East Bay Express, and Bay Area Reporter. Why not, instead, spend it on the Alameda Sun and San Leandro Times where most of the District 3 voters live?
5. I’ve watched the Alameda County Board of Supervisors for the past decade. Being a member of that board is a rough-and-tumble experience. Supervisors Keith Carson, Nate Miley, even Richard Valle, and before, Scott Haggerty, will chew up the weakest link on the board. Right now, it’s Supervisor David Haubert, but he’s holding his own. But I can’t for a second imagine District 3 candidates Lena Tam, David Kakishiba, or Surlene Grant lasting a minute on that board. I think they all respect Kaplan after working with her on various intragovernmental boards over the years.
6. In 12 years of covering Alameda County elections, I can’t remember a candidate so focused on highlighting their military service like Shawn Kumagai is trying in the open 20th Assembly District race. I think it’s working because Kumagai doesn’t have that rough-hewn soldier look that voters might equate with killing on the battlefield. His look is clean, sort of wholesome from a bygone era.
7. I don’t think it’s going to work out for Jennifer Esteen on June 7, but she’s run a strong progressive campaign in the 20th Assembly District. Perhaps, her brand of progressivism is a little too much for Hayward and the Tri-Valley? I hope she continues her outreach and runs again somewhere. Esteen immediately passed the Tavares litmus test for trusting candidates and public officials when I met her in-person earlier this year by rattling off a string of expletives. A journalist can always trust a politician who isn’t afraid to curse up the joint.
8. It’s going to be interesting if Fremont Councilmember Teresa Keng faces blowback from her constituents after the June primary, or whenever her bid for the 24th Assembly District ends. During this primary season, Keng’s Assembly campaign has received nearly $250,000 in support from an IE backed by developers and landlords. I wonder how Fremonters, who tend to loathe developers, will respond when they realize Keng was their favored candidate?
9. The Alameda County Democratic Central Committee will not do a thing to admonish Rep. Eric Swalwell for endorsing Republican Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern. Alameda County Democrats are weak right now. Rep. Ro Khanna punked them last year by endorsing Lily Mei and nothing has happened to him. They have no money because their core focus of fundraising and getting local Democrats elected has been neglected for some time. That may be changing, but not soon enough. Besides, once the primary is over, Swalwell’s congressional campaign can just write a big check for the local party to make amends for his traitorous endorsement of Ahern.
10. Lily Mei’s campaign in the 10th State Senate District seems seriously off-kilter. What is her message? That Democrats in a deep blue district are going after her for political reasons? There isn’t enough anti-establishment votes here to get her elected. I think Mei is indeed homophobic because amid all these accusations that she’s anti-LGBT, Mei still features Fremont Councilmember Yang Shao on her website and campaign materials. Shao was a leader in a local church that was at the forefront of opposing gay marriage, yet Mei and Rep. Ro Khanna, have taken absolutely no steps to marginalize his backward beliefs. Recall that Shao, as a Fremont school boardmember, also diminished the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Shao said, at the time, that “Dr. King was a great guy, but you know, he, uh, you know, he bought sex.”