Primary's central question
Breaking down the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee slates; San Leandro may or may not appoint a new councilmember; More brutal mailers in SD7; Upset Eden Area renters plans 'healing circle'
ELECTION 2024
7 days to Primary Day
DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE
—FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY—The Alameda County Democratic Central Committee is a deep down ballot race. They are large, misunderstood contests that often include virtual unknowns vying for the right to volunteer the first Wednesday night of every month to the Democratic cause.
—Understanding the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee might be easier if you just view them as the Alameda County Democratic Party, one of 58 franchises within the California Democratic Party.
—What is their role? To fundraise and support their endorsed candidates. In years past, the fundraising aspect was a weak point, but unexploited simply because Alameda County has one-party rule. But within the party there has been internal threats to the progressive majority on the central committee by business-friendly moderates in the Tri-Valley and Fremont.
—Compounding the schism was Pamela Price and her push to win control of the central committee as far back as her first run for Alameda County district attorney in 2018. The plan worked. In 2020, Price spent heavily to help herself and a slate of candidates win seats on the central committee.
—But in the years since, the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee has devolved into chaos and disorganization. The overriding focus of the central committee for more than a year has been about grievance fueled by Price supporters and the LGBT community.
—Insiders believe the shift started with the party’s move to admonish Fremont Mayor Lily Mei for anti-LGBT votes she made as a school board member. That led to popular central committee member Raj Salwan, also a Fremont councilmember, being called to the carpet for supporting Mei’s state Senate run in 2022.
—Official rebukes by the central committee have been leveled against Oakland activist Seneca Scott for alleged anti-LGBT comments, twice to Hayward school boardmember Joe Ramos (once for anti-LGBT comments), along with resolutions supporting a recall of two Sunol Glen school boardmembers for a flag policy that some interpreted as anti-LGBT.
—Despite unease among elected officials in Alameda County about the central committee’s lack of focus and decorum, many became alarmed after the party moved to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The proclamation approved by the central committee in November not only called for a ceasefire but charged Israel with apartheid and genocide of the Palestinian people.
—The chaotic nature of that meeting and the appearance of a swastika in the Zoom chat function furthered raised concerns about the central committee.
—The tipping point for many came last December after a cartoonishly wacky central committee devolved into mindless shouting.
—To underscore Price’s control of the central committee, the chaos followed an attempt to allocate up to $10,000 to the campaign opposing Price’s recall. As a central committee member, Price voted for the allocation.
—The central committee election this March is essentially about younger progressives moving the local party further left and experienced elected officials aiming for a return to the status quo.
—Here’s a breakdown of the various slates in each assembly district:
14TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT (Pick 7)
This group of mostly Berkeley and Oakland candidates may be the most progressive in the county and range from older lefties under the Climate Labor Progressives banner, young and experienced mainstream Democrats for Affordable Housing, and Pamela Price’s People Powered Progressives.
CLIMATE LABOR PROGRESSIVES: Avery Arbaugh, Michael Barnett, Wendy Bloom, Julie Caskey, Elizabeth Echols, Sarah Price, Igor Tregub, Ana Vasudeo.
PEOPLE POWERED PROGRESSIVES: Carol Coyote Cook, Michael Cheng Sadia Khan, Paolo Laverde, Chip Moore, Alfred Twu.
DEMS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING: James Chang, Andy Kelley, Dyana Delfin Polk, Terry Taplin, Aaron Tiedemann.
NO SLATE: Abdur Sikder.
16TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT (Pick 6)
This group is the least progressive in the county. Mostly moderate Democrats hailing from the Tri-Valley.
PRAGMATIC PROGRESSIVES: Cheryl Cook-Kallio, Patricia Munro, Yeon Park, Jacqueline Tarin-Rankl.
PEOPLE POWERED PROGRESSIVES: Seema Badar.
NO SLATE: Irfran Alam.
18TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT (Pick 10)
The central committee’s future direction could pivot in this district where Pamela Price’s People Powered Progressives slate is matched up against former Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor’s Empower Oakland slate.
EMPOWER OAKLAND: Amber Childress, Pamela Ferran, Arielle Fleisher, Laura Leigh Geist, Nicole Grashton, Warren Logan, Harold Lowe, Loren Taylor.
PEOPLE POWERED PROGRESSIVES: Andrea Bocanegra, Howard Egerman, Desmond Jeffries, Iris Merriouns, Pamela Price, Kalimah Priforce, Royl Roberts, Austin Tam, Yoana Tchoukleva, Chaney Turner.
UNITED VOICES FOR DEMOCRACY: Adrien Abuyen, Mayra Alvarado, Zak Bowling, Rowena Brown, Regina Chagolla, Sean Dugar, Hannah Groce.
NO SLATE: Stewart Chen, Tracy Jensen, Mario Juarez, Sukhdeep Kaur.
20TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT (Pick 8)
The Hayward-Tri-Valley-Tri-Cities 20th District is similar to the 18th District and features a similar clash of ideologies. Again Pamela Price’s People Powered Progressives are matched against a group of experienced elected officials in the 20th Assembly District Democratic Coalition slate.
PEOPLE POWERED PROGRESSIVES: Dolly Adams, Victor Aguilar, Jr., Austin Bruckner Carrillo, Joseph Mauro, Anish Mohanty, Jatinder Kaur Sahi, Barisha Spriggs.
20TH AD DEMOCRATIC COALITION: Melissa Hernandez, Aisha Knowles, Corina Lopez, Elisa Marquez, Harris Mojadedi, Julie Roche, Scott Sakakihara, Robin Torello.
NO SLATE: Heinz Greiner, Ed Hernandez, Craig Williams.
24TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT (Pick 4)
The mostly Fremont portion of the central committee is another Pamela Price versus the establishment matchup. Within the two four-person slates is a warm-up for Fremont’s fall mayoral campaign between Vinnie Bacon and Fremont Councilmember Raj Salwan.
PEOPLE POWERED PROGRESSIVES: Vinnie Bacon, Victoria Birkbeck-Herrera, Kelsey Pressnall, Mel Shuen-Mallory.
DEMOCRATS FOR EQUITY & INCLUSION: Annie Koruga, Raj Salwan, Moina Shaiq, Nancy Thomas.
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