SAN FRANCISCO, CA - While Black Tuesday, November 5, 2024, was a terrible day for Kamala Harris and Senate Democrats, it wasn’t that much better elsewhere, including the west coast. In an election day bloodbath that saw Donald Trump reelected and Republicans take back control of the Senate, far-left progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, a George Soros surrogate, was eviscerated in his race, while the far-left progressive mayor of San Francisco, Democrat London Breed, also was sent packing, Politico reports.
San Franciscans, weary of the rampant crime that tarnished their once vibrant city, ushered in a new era by choosing Daniel Lurie, an heir to the Levi’s company, over Breed with a significant 12-point margin, according to election results.
Breed led the City by the Bay for six years, however, she oversaw a city that was victimized by drug overdose deaths, blatant retail theft, widespread homelessness, and a population decline spurred in part by the COVID pandemic where remote workers could escape the city and work from other parts of the country.
The city also experienced an exodus of retailers, including Old Navy, Nordstrom, Whole Foods, CVS, and Walgreens. Breed joined former Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was sent packing last year after finishing third in her reelection effort. Another progressive mayor, Ted Wheeler of Portland, Oregon, chose not to run for reelection this year.
Another California mayor, Sheng Thao (D) of neighboring Oakland, was forced out of office after only two years through the recall process, a political procedure that allows voters to remove an elected official from office before their term is over.
After Breed lost, her surrogates offered explanations for the defeat, citing the challenges of leading a city during a pandemic and the unique dynamics of certain political races.
“Being the mayor of an urban center after a pandemic has been one of the hardest jobs in America,” said Todd David, a Breed adviser. “Certain races–they are not set up to be won.”
The election, initially projected to be a close race, ended up being a clear victory for Lurie. Recognizing the growing frustration among voters, Lurie positioned himself as a change agent, a role he and his family embraced by investing roughly $10 million in the campaign.
Breed stubbornly refused to concede until last Thursday after counts showed Lurie with a formidable lead.
Meanwhile, Thao conceded the recall effort late last Friday, a victim of Oakland’s out-of-control crime rate.
San Francisco has long been condemned by conservatives, including President-elect Trump, as a progressive hellhole. Progressive district attorney Chesa Boudin was ousted just two years ago in a recall effort. San Francisco has gained a reputation for being a feces-infested sewer, far removed from its historic status as one of the most beautiful cities in America.
Lurie’s top consultant, Tyler Law, said Lurie took advantage of voters’ sentiment about his status as an outsider, a first-time candidate “ready to make a clean break from the city’s establishment,” Politico wrote.
“He really embodied the change that San Franciscans were calling out for,” Law said of Lurie, a moderate Democrat.
Lurie tapped into Asian American concerns about crime and street conditions. That bloc makes up a significant portion of the city’s voters.
Breed was widely criticized for the city’s handling of the COVID pandemic, however pushed back about the city’s response. The pandemic also claimed two other far-left progressive Democratic mayors, Jenny Durkan of Seattle and Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, both of whom did not run for reelection.
Breed drew controversy after she was seen at a San Francisco club maskless at a live performance of Tony! Toni! Tone!. She downplayed the appearance, drawing the ire of California residents forced to wear masks by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“We don’t need the fun police to come in and micromanage and tell us what we should or shouldn’t be doing,” Breed said during an interview. “My drink was sitting at the table. I got up and started dancing because I was feeling the spirit, and I wasn’t thinking about a mask.”
Politico ran with a narrative that painted a more positive picture of Breed's tenure, claiming that property and crime rates have decreased. However, this claim was debunked after the FBI revised its crime rates upward, and the National Crime Victimization Survey showed that crime has been increasing, not dropping.
“I don’t know about you, but the city sure is feeling good,” Breed told supporters on Election Night at a soul food restaurant downtown. “We have laid the groundwork for this city to continue to move forward.”
Breed’s supporters tried to put a positive light on her defeat, claiming she “outperformed” expectations since the election appeared to be " change-oriented.”
“The mayor ended up in second place with an electorate that was really chomping for change,” David said.
The last few months of the campaign put a nail in Breed’s coffin. In late August, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest and seriously injured in broad daylight at Union Square. Only two weeks later, a Breed surrogate stepped down amid a City Hall scandal involving contracts awarded to a man she lives with
Another Breed supporter, Rafael Mandelman, a member of the Board of Supervisors, said it appeared voters had decided months ago to change city government.
“It seems like there was a set of voters who were never going to have London Breed on their dance card in any way,” he said. “They just weren’t going to consider her at all.”
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