OAKLAND, California — Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee is on the brink of announcing her decision to run for mayor of Oakland as the city braces for a special election post the recall of its previous mayor.
Lee’s Potential Mayoral Run
Lee, who is set to depart Congress early next year, took to Twitter to confirm that she is contemplating a mayoral bid, ending months of speculation surrounding her plans.
“The choice to enter the mayoral race in Oakland, a city I have long cherished, is one that I approach with great care,” Lee shared. “As my tenure in Congress draws to a close, my immediate focus is addressing the challenges unfolding in DC,” she added, alluding to the efforts to prevent a government shutdown.
The Political Landscape
A revered national progressive figure renowned for her dissenting vote against the Afghanistan war, Lee would emerge as the frontrunner in the mayoral race, potentially prompting other progressives to withdraw from contention.
However, Lee’s candidacy could pose a dilemma for moderate activists and donors keen on instating a more centrist Democrat in City Hall, mirroring the political realignment underway in neighboring San Francisco, where tech-backed groups are nudging the traditionally left-leaning city toward the center.
Challenges and Opportunities
Oakland residents, grappling with financial deficits and a surge in gun violence, ousted former Mayor Sheng Thao in the recent recall election due to widespread frustrations with administrative dysfunction. The recall campaign received substantial backing from moderate advocacy groups and affluent tech benefactors aiming to steer the deeply blue city towards a more moderate path.
The special election, scheduled for April 15, will employ the city’s ranked-choice voting mechanism.
Loren Taylor, a former city council member and moderate Democrat, has already thrown his hat in the ring and is likely to pose a formidable challenge to Lee. Meanwhile, retired NFL star Marshawn Lynch has hinted at a potential candidacy but has yet to make a formal announcement.
Lee’s Political Trajectory
Earlier this year, Lee vied for a U.S. Senate seat, succumbing in the primary to fellow Democrat Adam Schiff. Struggling to amass the requisite campaign funds and broaden her appeal beyond her progressive base, Lee faced an uphill battle in the statewide race.
Nonetheless, these obstacles may prove less formidable in a mayoral bid in Oakland, where she enjoys widespread recognition and resonates more closely with the electorate’s liberal stance on key issues such as the Gaza conflict and police accountability.
Prior to this, Lee had expressed interest in assuming the role of Housing and Urban Development secretary in a potential Kamala Harris administration, a prospect that faded following the vice president’s electoral defeat.
