ELECTION 2024
96 DAYS TO PRIMARY DAY
—DEM QUESTIONS—When the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee passed a resolution last month calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict, along with language charging Israel with genocide, it was a harbinger of what we saw this week at the Oakland City Council.
—Alameda County Democrats, like Oakland officials, shut down any discussion for tweaking their resolution to condemn Hamas.
—County Dems took the unusual step of allowing hours of public testimony from non-committee members, something that almost never happens.
—One member of the public displayed a swastika in their Zoom profile, leading the chair to shut off the chat function. Two members exchanged words inside the physical meeting room, conveying a sense that the party is in complete disarray.
—Be it kowtowing to the wishes of the loudest group in the room or general fear by public officials to deviate from the accepted party line, the end result highlights on-going questions about where the progressive movement in the East Bay is heading and whether more level-headed leadership needs to step in.
—Activists taking over a local central committee and its ramifications have precedent in the East Bay. In the late 2000s, a group of conservative acolytes of libertarian Ron Paul staged a takeover of the Alameda County Republican Central Committee to which its never recovered.
—The San Francisco Democratic Party, also grappling with a shift to the far-left, announced on Thursday a slate of candidates for their central committee elections that include current and former elected officials.
—While there is not a similar group of experienced officials planning a slate in Alameda County, there is a large number of current and former elected officials that may be individually thinking the central committee needs to refocus its priorities.
—Over the past year, the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee has held a nearly exclusive focus on social issues and identity politics at a time when rising crime and housing is the pre-imminent issue facing the entire county.
—There could be up to 20 current and former elected officials seeking seats on the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee in the March Primary.
—AD 14 includes four current elected officials who have pulled papers to run in the March Primary, including Berkeley Councilmember Terry Taplin and East Bay Regional Park District boardmember Elizabeth Echols.
—AD18 includes two former elected officials, including former Oakland councilmember and mayoral candidate Loren Taylor.
—AD20 includes seven current elected officials, including Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez and Alameda County Supervisor Elisa Marquez; along with three former officials, former San Leandro Councilmembers Ed Hernandez and Corina Lopez.
—AD24 includes four current and former elected officials, including Raj Salwan and Vinnie Bacon—incidentally both are seeking to be Fremont’s next mayor next fall.
DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE
—BUSY D.A.—Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, of course, has a day job. On top of that, she’s fighting back a strong recall effort, and now she’s looking to run for another four-year term on the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee.
—Price pulled papers on Thursday to seek a return to the central committee as a delegate from the 18th Assembly District.
—In 2020, Price was the top vote-getter in her district aided by a fundraising effort that most candidates for the central committee avoid.
—Central committee campaigns are the definition of down ballot races, and results are often a crap shoot based more on ballot placement than popularity or name I.D.
—If Price finalizes her candidacy for the central committee before the Dec. 8 filing deadline, the results of the primary could essentially act as a poll to gauge whether her strength among progressive Democratic voters—her most loyal group of voters—has remained stable or has been diminished by the recall effort.
HAYWARD SCHOOL BOARD
—DRAGGING IN THE FAR-RIGHT—The emergence of Drag Queen Storytimes in several East Bay cities was celebrated by some, but also became a target for vehement opposition from right-wing groups, including the Proud Boys.
—Hayward school board candidate Austin Bruckner Carrillo isn’t shying away from provoking the far-right.
—His campaign for an at-large seat on the Hayward school board next fall is holding a “Drag in 2024 Fundraiser” on Dec. 9. The event includes an appearance by drag queen Ava LaShay.
GOP CENTRAL COMMITTEE
—OK, JEN K—When Jennifer Kavouniaris ran for the Fremont school board last year, much of her platform involved “saving” school children from the rise of the LGBT community. Kavouniaris ultimately lost the race in 2022.
—News of Hayward school board candidate Austin Bruckner Carrillo holding a fundraiser with a drag queen got her attention this week. On Facebook, Kavouniaris she wondered if Bruckner Carrillo is a teachers “union plant.”
—Kavouniaris pulled papers on Wednesday for one of six seats on the Alameda County Republican Party Central Committee in the 24th Assembly District.
ALAMEDA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
—HISTORY REPEATS—Four years ago, Alameda County Board of Education Trustee Janevette Cole faced a sitting member of the Hayward school board. Cole won the Ward 3 seat over Luis Reynoso.
—To win re-election next March, Cole may need to get past Joe Ramos, another controversial Hayward school boardmember.
—Ramos pulled papers to run for the Alameda County Board of Education this week.
—Earlier this year, Ramos came under fire last May for saying the school district was attempting to “indoctrinate” students with a pro-LGBT agenda.
—TEACHERS’ PET—Alameda County Board of Education Trustee Angela Normand has not yet pulled papers for re-election, but is already receiving big money from a teachers union.
—Following a disappointing result in the recent Oakland school board special election, the Oakland Education Association PAC contributed $5,000 to Normand’s re-election to the Area 2 county seat.
12TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
—CA12 FORUM—The Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club is hosting a candidate forum on Saturday afternoon featuring the candidates hoping to replace Rep. Barbara Lee in the 12th Congressional District.
—The forum, which will be the followed by the club’s endorsement process, is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 2, 2 p.m. at Uptown Body and Fender, 401 26th Street, Oakland.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE DATA
—MONEYBALL—Below is Form 497 campaign contributions ($5,000 or more) filed Nov. 29 through Nov. 30.
ALAMEDA COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION
—Angela Normand (Area 2), Oakland Education Association PAC, $5,000 (Nov. 30).
STATE LEGISLATURE
STATE ASSEMBLY
—Mia Bonta (18th Assembly District), William Joseph Langelier of San Francisco, $5,500 (Nov. 22).
STATE SENATE
—Dan Kalb (7th Senate District), IBEW Local 595 PAC Small Contributor Committee, $5,000 (Nov. 29).
—Kathryn Lybarger (7th Senate District), California Federation of Teachers COPE Small Contributor Committee, $5,900 (Nov. 29).
—Tim Grayson (9th Senate District), Laborers Local 67 PAC, $5,500 (Nov. 27).
CITY NEWS
OAKLAND
—BIPPEDx3—Crime in Oakland is undeniably up and most elected officials would avoid fueling that reality.
—But not Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao.
—While speaking to a group of developers at an event on Thursday morning, Thao oddly boasted that her car has been broken into three times.
—“You only read about it once in the papers,” she said.
—Thao’s car was vandalized last April while parked outside the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, according to news reports.
—During the same event on Thursday, Thao claimed that crime is actually down, and she has data to prove it. The comment appeared to befuddled developers and elicit a few disparaging comments from the audience.
—Thao also claimed that morale at the Oakland Police Department is higher than it was under previous Mayor Libby Schaaf.
BERKELEY
—MAYOR OPPOSES GAZA RESO—As the Oakland City Council continues to receive national blowback for its resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Berkeley has kept the issue within the confines of its council chambers.
-Two Berkeley council meetings have been interrupted by protesters demanding that city officials approve its own ceasefire resolution.
—The stakes are higher, however, for Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin, a front runner in the 7th State Senate District primary next March.
—Arreguin does not support a ceasefire resolution. “As Mayor, it is my job to keep this community safe, and I remain committed to working with everyone impacted by this conflict to ensure Berkeley remains a safe haven for all,” Arreguin said.
—“These resolutions will not end the violence abroad, but they do fan the flames of hatred here at home,” he added. “That's a threat I cannot ignore.”