Overheard in Fog City:
DCCC to Reconsider D6 Endorsement?

Written by Luke Thomas. Posted in News, Opinion, Politics

Published on September 01, 2010 with 63 Comments

The San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC) may reconsider its August 11 endorsement in the race for District 6 Supervisor. File photo by Luke Thomas.

By Luke Thomas

September 2, 2010

With only a few weeks to go before the November campaigns kick into high gear, word has it the San Francisco DCCC may reconsider its endorsements in the race for District 6 Supervisor.

The reason? It’s finally dawning on some of the more enlightened DCCC progressive members that without a ranked choice voting strategy, the D6 seat could be lost to downtown.

Why? Because there are so many strong progressive candidates vying to replace termed out Supervisor Chris Daly, the progressive vote is likely to be so diluted that it avails a golden opportunity for an organized counter ranked choice voting strategy by the moderate candidates in the race to steal the seat.

That reality is not lost on those who care about progressive politics, but is lost on those progressive candidates that can’t see past a me, myself and I, myopia.

Prime example? Debra Walker. When asked if she will endorse a second and third place progressive candidate, Walker told FCJ, “I’ll announce my decision on November 2.”

In its last endorsement meeting, the majority of progressive members aligned with Walker on the DCCC voted against endorsing a second and third candidate in the D6 race in large part because Walker fears a second place endorsement of School Board President Jane Kim will increase the probability that Kim will win the seat. Instead, the DCCC anointed Walker as the Democratic Party’s sole choice for the seat.

As a supporter of progressive politics, wanting the team to win and not so much concerned about who scores the goals as long the team wins, the DCCC headed by Chair Aaron Peskin should absolutely start thinking about maximizing the probability of ensuring the D6 seat is held by a progressive candidate.

To do otherwise is a risky proposition with potentially disastrous consequences.

The DCCC endorsement is the by far the most influential endorsement in San Francisco politics and has proven time and time again its power in electing those candidates it endorses. If the DCCC fails to endorse a second and third place progressive candidate, and the D6 seat is lost to the downtown money machine, the DCCC members who voted against a D6 ranked choice strategy will have no one else to blame but themselves.

That’s egg on their faces that could last for eight very long years.

Editor’s Note: Luke Thomas is a resident and voter in District 6. In the interest of transparency, he has provided photography services to the campaigns of Jane Kim, Jim Meko and Debra Walker.

Luke Thomas

Luke Thomas

Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.

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  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/hbrown/ Harold Brown

    And Kim?

    Really. Did you ask her who she’s endorsing second? Meko? And, come to think of it, Sparks? Zamora?

    It’s not just Walker that has that “me, myself and I” attitude, it’s the entire Democratic party. Frankly, things have gone way downhill since 2004 when pretty much every single one of the 22 candidates in D-5 endorsed 2 other candidates. Because I harassed the hell out of them until they did.

    I agree with you Luke. But, why just the D Triple C? Why shouldn’t every candidate endorse 2 other candidates?

    So, ask Kim who her second and third choices are.

    h.

  • http://groups.yahoo.com/group/patmonkrn/ Patrick Monk

    JAMES KEYS.

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/luke/ Luke Thomas

    @h, yes, I asked Kim the same question. Here’s what she said:

    FCJ: Do you have a number 2 or number 3 in mind yet?

    Kim: “No, but I’m definitely going to do a number 2 and number 3 and we are definitely talking about – at least in our campaign – a progressive strategy; how we can support other progressive candidates.”

    A big difference compared to Walker’s response.

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/luke/ Luke Thomas

    @h, spoke to Jim Meko. His #2 is James Keys and his #3 is Debra Walker.

  • marc

    I am disenfranchised by being limited to only three choices when there are perhaps five candidates for whom I’d consider voting.

    Instant partial exhausted ballot runoff voting is what I’m seeing here even if candidates go through the formal process of declaring second choices.

    -marc

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/luke/ Luke Thomas

    From Jim Meko via email:

    “I sometimes wonder what game the rest of the ‘team’ is playing. So many warring camps! ‘Team Kim’ expected that they’d be able to not only parachute into District 6 but also into the Democratic Party for its endorsement. ‘Team Sparks’ has so many mixed messages going that I wouldn’t be surprised to see Theresa accepting the endorsement of the Republican Party too. The DCCC should embrace instant runoff voting and fill all three slots with viable Progressives. They should also show some respect towards those of us who’ve been working in the trenches all these years. I made up my mind about my second and third choices a long time ago and both of them gave me strong assurances that I’d be one of their top three picks too. Keys is my second choice and Walker is number three. All three of us share the same values. I just think I’d make a better legislator.”

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/luke/ Luke Thomas

    @Marc,

    “Instant partial exhausted ballot runoff voting is what I’m seeing here even if candidates go through the formal process of declaring second choices.”

    That probability and risk is reduced by a DCCC slate card with a 1,2,3 endorsement.

  • marc

    Luke, the presence of 5 candiates and 3 choices confounds such a strategy given the history of exhausted ballots.

    Having knowledge about a district based on tenure is a good thing. But toiling in the fields and not reaping a harvest is not.

    Being a good progressive legislator requires the ability to organize a community to demand progressive solutions.

    By the numbers, unfortunately, none of the progressive candidates in D6 bring to the table a record of community organizing that produces progressive results.

    Raising money and winning an election is one skillset, effective progressive legislating is quite another.

    -marc

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/luke/ Luke Thomas

    @Marc, without a DCCC ranked choice strategy, the 2nd and 3rd choice votes will be scattered.

    I agree, however, that a perfect RCV system is one that ranks all candidates. SF’s RCV system, alas, is half-baked.

  • mwbsf

    But I don’t think the DCCC would fill all three slots with viable progressives.

  • davidpwaggoner

    Scortched earth!

  • http://10thanniversarytac.blogspot.com/ Michael Nulty

    On Saturday, August 28th Central City Democrats (the only chartered Democratic club for District 6) held it’s endorsement meeting for the November ballot.

    It resulted in the following ranked-choice endorsements for District 6 candidates:

    1) James Keys
    2) Glendon “Anna Conda” Hyde
    3) Debra Walker

    Also the membership elected Michael Nulty to serve as Club President.

  • ConcernedinSF

    Luke, in covering D6, you really must disclose that you have been assigned to take photographs for the Jane Kim campaign. That is so regardless of whether the position is paid or not, and whether the assignment is ongoing or was merely temporary in nature.

    That is a fundamental rule to which any journalist who takes his or her credibility seriously adheres. If you are unclear on this, please peruse the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics.

    Paul Hogarth of beyondchron seems to get this.

    Even if your coverage was without a clear bias, which it is not, you are obliged to disclose this information.

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/luke/ Luke Thomas

    @ConcernedinSF, thank you for the reminder to add my standard disclaimer at the foot of all articles related to the District 6 race, now added to this article as well.

    I have also added a disclaimer to articles related to other races where I have supplied photography services, such as the school board race.

  • skatemate8

    Ok, Luke. I think it’s clear that you’ve lost your objectivity in this race, and it’s been obvious for a little while now. Who is your source on this? The fact that you mention no names suggests you are just trying to stir something up for your preferred candidate.

    It’s NOT on the agenda and there’s no way 2/3 of the membership of the DCCC are going to agree to amend the agenda to reconsider D6. So stop making stuff up.

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/luke/ Luke Thomas

    @Skatemate8, I can assure you I am not “making stuff up.” There’s a real chance the D6 seat could be lost to downtown. As for my objectivity, I think I have made it abundantly clear that I care more about holding the D6 seat in the hands of a progressive candidate than anything else.

    Instead of shooting the messenger, address the issue presented. I have not mentioned any names because I did not speak on the record with my sources and it would be unfair to them to do so, especially since at least one of the DCCC member sources is supporting Debra Walker.

    All I am saying is that the DCCC, like it did in the D8 race, should rank three prog candidates. They’ve already ranked Debra #1 and that shouldn’t change. Just make sure #2 and #3 are not wasted.

    I take it you understand the concept of exhausted ballots and that the winner must get 50% + 1 of the vote to win?

  • http://sfgop.org Howard Epstein

    @Jim – The SFGOP held it’s endorsements meeting last night. Teresa Sparks did not return our questionnaire or appear. We did not endorse in the D6.

  • Jiro

    Let’s dispense with a few myths:

    #1 The DCCC isn’t going to reopen the vote. That would take 22 votes and it’s not happening. Most elected DCCC members do not want to give Nevius or Garcia a new set of clubs to whack a mole the body. These members have their own ambitions and on pure self-interest grounds this would be self-destructive. With respect, it would make them appear clownish.

    #2 There was an alternative to present race. It was called a progressive primary. The way it was structured may have been an element in why it did not come together. Also some myths about RCV persist (See #3 below). One contingency came with a steep price but it was a vehicle for progressives to get to “one candidate.” Now the field is set and it’s a race to the finish. To date, Sparks is shaping up to be a fairly anemic candidate so the progressive community may be able to dodge the bullet on this one.

    #3 In the real world where facts might want to count or be important to campaigns, a #2 endorsement is 98% useless. There will be some true IRV believers out there chanting the 1-2-3 mantra –much like Republicans and some Democrats say our biggest economic challenge is deficit spending in the face of effective double digit unemployment– but to date #2 votes in 6 local election cycles have proven irrelevant, and they won’t be in this year’s district supervisor contests either.

    A high profile Mayoral contest potentially could be a different matter, and that’s quite iffy, but on down-ballot contests, forget them. Getting voters in high SES districts like District 8 to appreciate even 3 facts about a Wiener, Prozan or Mandelman candidacy, is a challenge much less asking voters to rank their preferences 1-2-3 in a meaningful, coherent manner. Try that on 6th Street please or with a disinterested investment banker. A plurality of first place votes equals a win with ranked choice. So, logically, candidates/campaigns should focus on just rounding up as many #1 votes as possible. Kvetching about #2s is sour grapes and like other flora and fauna on the local political scene, a useless time sink.

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/hbrown/ Harold Brown

    Luke,

    When you publish trolls who attack you I wonder about your judgment. That’s so, so … Bay Guardian.

    And Marc, I keep asking you who you’re backing in D-6 and you keep simply attacking everyone. Honest to God, do you have anything positive to say about anyone on anything? We already know that no one can possibly match you but of the 15 candidates who put their names on the ballots, which one is the least offensive to you? Or, better yet, which 3?

    h.

  • http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?trk=hb_tab_pro Ann Garrison

    Is this sudden anxiety about Walker’s campaign based on polling?

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