Rep. Barbara Lee Mulls Campaign For Oakland Mayor
December 22, 2024
Lee posted on X that she is considering a run for Oakland’s mayor.
California Rep. Barbara Lee, who is retiring from Congress early in 2025, indicated that she will be announcing whether or not she intends to join the race set to determine Oakland’s next mayor in January 2025.
According to Politico, Lee posted on Twitter/X that she is considering a run for office, marking the first time that she has publicly commented regarding the speculation that she could be considering a run for Oakland’s mayor.
“The decision to run for mayor of Oakland, a city that I have long called home, is not one I take lightly,” Lee said. “As my time in Congress wraps up, my current priority is navigating the crisis before us in DC,” a reference to the efforts to avert a government shutdown.
Lee has been a progressive stalwart in Congress during her career and carries the kind of political caché that would immediately make her the frontrunner in a race that is still taking shape.
Given her political positioning as a staunch progressive, Lee would upset the apple carts of more centrist Democrats and groups with ties to Silicon Valley, who have been pushing to move Oakland farther to the right.
Those efforts resulted in the recall of Mayor Sheng Thao in November as Oakland also deals with pervasive gun violence and a massive budget deficit as well as general frustration from voters with a dysfunctional City Hall.
A special election to fill Thao’s seat has been scheduled for April 15, and will use Oakland’s ranked choice voting system.
For now, Lee’s most apparent competition is Loren Taylor, a former city councilmember and a moderate Democrat.
However, there are also rumors that former NFL running back and unofficial ambassador of the City of Oakland, Marshawn Lynch, could enter the race, although he has not made any official announcements about his intention to join the race.
According to The Oaklandside, currently, the interim mayor of Oakland is Nikki Fortuano Bas, which was finalized on Dec 17.
Bas will serve in the position for three weeks before she takes her position on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.
On Dec. 19, a group of Lee’s supporters issued a call for her to run for mayor, citing Oakland’s need for “someone who can restore integrity to the office of the Mayor, unite us in a time of division, and help us address critical issues around the budget, public safety, housing, and inequity in our Town.”
According to the letter, they believe Lee fits the bill.
“We know that to solve Oakland’s problems and unlock its powerful potential, it is going to take a unique combination of courage and proven experience. Barbara Lee embodies that.”
The letter also alludes to the incoming administration of Donald Trump.
“Whether we supported the recall or opposed it, we recognize that the challenges facing Oakland date back decades and impact us all — especially in the face of the new administration in Washington, DC.” The supporters wrote. “We also know it will take all of us to unite our city and ensure Oakland can once again thrive. That is why we are all coming together — business and labor, recall supporters and opponents, all of Oakland’s diverse communities — to rally behind Barbara, a seasoned, tested and proven leader who has a track record of delivering for our city.”
According to The Oaklandside, Bas, Oakland’s interim mayor, is among the undersigned.
“There is an incredibly broad group of Oaklanders that see this moment as a turning point, and see Lee as the unique individual who could really bring together,” the city, Bas told the outlet.
According to Robert Harris, an Oakland NAACP leader, and Lee’s former campaign finance chair, she is a figure who can galvanize the city if she runs.
“You rarely see such a broad spectrum of people coming together, I’m praying every day that she will run,” Harris said, adding that he has no insight into Lee’s plans.
According to the New York Times, Lee supported Thao, whose recall was criticized by progressives as an effort by ultra-wealthy outsiders to undermine the will of the people, but the people ultimately decided to oust Thao, despite the city’s crime rate dropping by 33 percent.
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