Loren Taylor on running for mayor in 2026

Union City mayoral race gains second candidate

Loren Taylor

CITY NEWS

OAKLAND

—ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE—Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has only been in office for eight months, but her debut has received anywhere from mixed reviews to strong criticism as crime appears to be rising at a rapid clip and without an end in sight.

—One of those voices belongs to Loren Taylor, the former Oakland councilmember who lost in a nailbiter to Thao last November.

—In recent weeks, Taylor’s criticism of Thao has become undeniable, raising questions about whether he’s already contemplating a second campaign for Oakland mayor.

—When asked about a 2026 run, Taylor told the East Bay Insiders, “Anything is possible as we move forward.”

—He added, “We cannot allow leadership failures to go unacknowledged.”

—Last week, Taylor criticized Thao’s decision to travel on a junket to Vietnam when crime appears to be running rampant in Oakland.

—“It was ridiculous to be absent. She didn’t have to go,” Taylor said, noting the “trade mission” with Port of Oakland officials represent few opportunities for enriching Oakland’s treasury. “You do those things when things are good.”

—“The city has no control over the port and the city does not receive revenue from the port,” Taylor said.

—Last year when a shooting at a school in his district occurred, Taylor said he immediately canceled a trip for a scheduled conference in Washington, D.C. “I canceled that trip because I knew the city, the district, needed leadership,” Taylor said.

—Some on social media have dismissed Taylor’s critiques of Thao as sour grapes. In response, he said, “I’m not going to stay silent just because someone else won an election.”

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