Roe v. Wade and the East Bay's State Senate race

Election 2022: More East Bay campaign finance reports. Plus, daily campaign finance data.

ELECTION 2022

Days until Election Day: 35. Days until ballots are mailed: 6

10TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT

—GILDING THE LILY—In a post-Roe v. Wade world, the issue of women’s reproductive rights is one of the biggest on the November ballot. A statewide proposition aims to codify the right in the California Constitution and the endorsement from Planned Parenthood and other abortion rights groups has become this election cycle’s most valuable prize.

—The dichotomy within this issue is no more pronounced than in the East Bay’s contentious 10th State Senate race between Fremont Mayor Lily Mei and Hayward Councilmember Aisha Wahab.

—The first public forum between the two candidates on Monday night included a surprise question from the audience about abortion rights.

—Reading from a prepared statement, Mei said she “unequivocally supports” Proposition 1, the statewide abortion rights initiative on the November ballot. “It’s your body. Your decision,” Mei said. But the statement represented one of the first instances in which Mei has publicly offered such support for abortion rights.

—Last June, when nearly every state, federal, and local elected official quickly issued condemnation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Mei stood silent for days. Mei’s late statement was posted on Twitter, a social media channel that Mei rarely uses.

—A reason for Mei’s uneasiness with the issue may be due to her strong support among Asian American Christian conservatives in Fremont and the South Bay. One of Mei’s confidantes on the Fremont City Council is Yang Shao, a first-term councilmember who once led an effort through his church to block the legalization of same-sex marriage in California.

—The abortion rights question is clearly a winner for Wahab, who received Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice California’s endorsement. In fact, when the questions was first posed, Wahab’s face lit up with excitement.

—“The reason they have decided to do so,” Wahab said of the support from abortion rights groups, “is I’ve clearly shown that I am 100 percent pro-choice.” She added, “In 15 years, my opponent has never been endorsed by Planned Parenthood.” During this year’s campaign for the 10th State Senate, Mei declined to pursue Planned Parenthood’s endorsement.

—HANDLING HOMELESSNESS—Aisha Wahab was definitely the candidate on Monday night more interested in going on the offensive. On several occasions, Wahab offered sharp and subtle jabs against Mei, including a distinction between how Hayward and Fremont have handled homelessness.

—Hayward has reduced the number of people on its streets by 22 percent over the past three years, Wahab said. In contrast, Fremont’s number has increased by 68 percent over the same period.

—Mei did not refute the statistic, but said the increase is due to a change in how the county’s point-in-time count of homeless individuals is calculated, in particular, those living in vehicles.

OAKLAND MAYOR

—RICKEY RUN—Oakland A’s great Rickey Henderson isn’t known to be a political person, but he’s “100 percent” backing Ignacio De La Fuente for Oakland mayor. The campaign announced baseball’s all-time stolen base leader’s support on Tuesday.

—Recall last year that De La Fuente, appearing on an episode of the East Bay Insiders Podcast, said he had urged Henderson to run for Oakland mayor. Henderson, though, showed no interest, but De La Fuente told him not to worry. Henderson would just be a figure head and others would handle the rest, De La Fuente joked. At least, I think it was a joke.

SAN LEANDRO MAYOR

—LIFE OF BRYAN—San Leandro mayoral candidate Bryan Azevedo posted a new 80-second campaign video on Monday and it’s quite good. Azevedo touts his dedication to the community in the video, but he couldn’t leave well enough alone. The video ends with a hokey country song that probably should have been left on the cutting room floor.

—There are some potential illegal snippets in the video. A photo of Azevedo posing with residents and San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen is a big no-no. That’s because police logos and insignias are prohibited on campaign materials. San Leandro’s Police Department insignia is visible on Pridgen’s left arm.

—Some who have seen Azevedo’s video claim the shot in which he introduces himself was taken at a city-owned parking garage, another improper comingling of his campaign and city resources.

MORE INSIDE:

**Below is campaign finance reports from the Sept. 24 filing deadline. Today the section includes Alameda, San Leandro, Hayward, Union City, Newark, and Fremont. Check back on Wednesday for the Tri-Valley races, Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany, and other county and special district elections. Plus, today’s daily campaign finance data.