Gavin Newsom To Run For Lt. Governor
SAN FRANCISCO-After dropping out of the gubernatorial race last year, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is now running for lieutenant governor.
Newsom’s announcement Friday morning on KPIX-TV is not a surprise. He filed papers on Feb. 17 with the secretary of state’s office, the first steps to becoming a statewide candidate again.
The 42-year-old mayor is best known for his approval of same-sex marriages at San Francisco’s City Hall in 2004. He dropped his gubernatorial campaign in October after being unable to find the same popularity throughout California that he enjoys in his famously liberal hometown.
“Like many, I’ve openly questioned whether the office of LG is the right place to lead a reform movement that has the power to shake up Sacramento,” Newsom said. “But, as I’ve opened my mind, asked tough questions and met with esteemed experts, I’m more convinced than ever that the broad, informal portfolio of the office allows our Lieutenant Governor the freedom and platform to engage on any issue, from the ground up, without being distracted or deterred by the usual Sacramento power plays or bureaucratic turf battles.”
Newsom will be competing against state Sen. Dean Florez and Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn for the Democratic nomination.
In today’s announcement, Newsom also announced the backing of some major organizations, andhe endorsementofU.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.Newsom announced that he has already received the official endorsements of two of California’s leading and most effective statewide labor organizations – California Nurses Association (CNA), representing 87,000 Registered Nurses across the state, and United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western State Council, representing 180,000 Californians. He also enjoys the recent endorsement of the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, representing 35,000 working Californians.Today is the deadline to file to run for most state and local offices in the June 8 primary.
The filing period will be extended for five days for offices for which no incumbent files, except for offices in which incumbents cannot seek re-election because of term limits.
Riverside County races to watch include district attorney and sheriff.
On Feb. 24, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Paul Zellerbach, a Republican, announced he would challenge District Attorney Rod Pacheco, also a Republican.
According to Zellerbach, Pacheco has created a hostile working environment and is costing the county too much money taking cases to trial when they could be settled.
In the sheriff’s race, Frank Robles, a former Desert Hot Springs police chief and longtime Riverside County sheriff’s deputy, is challenging Sheriff Stan Sniff, who is seeking his first four-year term, having been appointed by the Board of Supervisors in October 2007, following the resignation of then-Sheriff Bob Doyle.
Both candidates are Republicans. On his campaign Web site, Robles says Sniff has been fiscally irresponsible, running the sheriff’s department budget into the red. He also refers to the sheriff as the “handpicked” preference of three supervisors, and not the voters.
Sniff said in January that the sheriff’s department is finding ways to pare down a $22.3 million budget gap and should be in the black by the end of the fiscal year.
According to Sniff, the department’s expenses have ballooned as a result of a jail expansion, which began before he took office. Public safety sales tax revenue has also tapered off, making it more difficult to meet budget targets at the sheriff’s department, district attorney’s office and probation department, according to county officials.
Two Riverside County supervisors are seeking reelection, and one is vying to be elected for the first time after a gubernatorial appointment.
Supervisor John Tavaglione, a Republican, will try to fend off a challenge from former Norco City Councilman Herb Higgins, a Democrat, in the Second District race.
In the Fourth District, Supervisor John Benoit will face former Palm Springs police Chief Gary Jeandron. Both candidates are Republicans. Benoit was appointed in November by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Roy Wilson, who later died.
No one has filed to run against Fifth District Supervisor Marion Ashley.
Elections are also set for the Assessor-Clerk-Recorder, Auditor and Treasurer.
A complete list of candidates for each office is expected to be available online via the Registrar’s Web site Saturday night, Chief Deputy Registrar Rebecca Spencer told City News Service.
