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SF voters seem to want more of the same
Voters seem to be giving Mayor Lurie a vote of confidence
SAN FRANCISCO - By all accounts, Mayor Daniel Lurie has a lot to be happy about: The candidates he backed have won, and he may be on his way to a clean sweep of the ballot measures as well. Sunset voters have selected incumbent District 4 supervisor Alan Wong to serve out his term until at least November, and in the Marina, voters have selected incumbent District 2 supervisor Stephen Sherrill.
The mayor backed both winners, and said the victories are a sign that San Francisco voters believe the city is moving in the right direction.
"I think it says that people are feeling hopeful and optimistic," Mayor Lurie said. "I think they like to see the mayor's office working with the supervisors. I look forward to working with Supervisors Alan Wong and Stephen Sherrill."
San Francisco State University political science professor Jason McDaniel said both Wong and Sherrill are reliable votes for mayor Lurie on the Board of Supervisors, so their wins are Lurie's win as well.
"The biggest takeaway was probably that the Board of Supervisors would still maintain a working relationship with the mayor," McDaniel said. "That's why he was out there in support of Stephen Sherrill. That's why he was out there getting together resources to support Alan Wong."
The June primary may be a preview of what is to come in November, when supervisors Wong and Sherrill will, once again, have to defend their seats; this time for full four-year terms.
Board of Supervisors candidates who did not come out on top, including Natalie Gee in the Sunset District and Lori Brooke in the Marina, say they will be back in the fall.
McDaniel said it may be an uphill climb for the newcomers if voters continue to feel the city is moving in the right direction.
"I expect that we're going to see Wong elected. I don't think that we're going to see much challenge," McDaniel said. "These results were strong enough that I don't see much vulnerability there. I think Stephen Sherrill had an overwhelming win. I don't see an open lane for Lori Brooke to beat Sherrill."
The mayor supported Measure A, a bond measure for earthquake preparedness, which has been called for the "yes" camp.
Lurie was also the face of "No on D", the so-called ‘billionaires tax’ he said could stall the city's economic recovery. As of Wednesday evening, "D" was still too close to call, but results leaned toward a "no" vote.
Either way, McDaniel said a win on "D", or even a close loss, is a sign of Mayor Lurie's political strength.
"I think this is the kind of election that can really give him momentum going forward for his governing agenda."
What's next:
Now all eyes are on November, where those supervisor seats in the Marina and Sunset will once again be up for consideration, along with seats in the South of Market, Bayview, the Castro,
Voters will have their say on a measure to support the Municipal Transit Authority, for which Lurie has already voiced support, as well as a broader regional measure aimed at supporting BART.