Meet All 35 SF DCCC Candidates for District 17

There are an astonishing 35 candidates in the March 3 Primary ballot for the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC) District 17. In plain english: there are 35 people running for this somewhat obscure local Democratic party committee called the DCCC ⁠— we explain what the DCCC is here ⁠— and you as a voter pick 14 of them, a task made more difficult by the fact that you have never heard of most of these people. We reached out to all 35 DCCC AD-17 candidates, and their get-to-know-us responses are published below.

NOTE: These are only the choices for half of San Francisco. These are the ‘east side of town’ candidates for District 17 of the committee. We published a list of the west side D-19 SF DCCC candidates next week. If it makes it easier for you, most of the candidates are running on a certain “slate”⁠— the Mobilize Organize slate is the more pragmatic, moderate, and centrist group, the Social Justice Democrats are the more progressive, DSA, Bernie-inspired wing.

We already did our March 3 election endorsements, but this is a chance to get to know every single candidate on your ballot. Some of these people already hold elected office, others are relative newcomers. To be as fair as possible, we’ve listed the District 17 DCCC candidates in the order their Department of Elections documents were issued, and then implemented equal representation between the two slates.

Steven Buss (Mobilize Organize)

Mission YIMBY founder and Google engineer Steven Buss tells us that “The DCCC has too many current and former elected officials, and I think they have lost touch with what the average San Franciscan wants.” He adds, “We must end the apartment ban and legalize apartments everywhere in the city. We must bring equity to neighborhoods and schools. We must shift the direction of the party to embrace growth.”

Sophie Maxwell (Social Justice)

Sophie Maxwell was the D-10 (Bayview) supervisor from 2000-2011, and was recently appointed by Mayor Breed to the SF Public Utilities Commission.

Bevan Dufty (Social Justice)

Bevan Dufty represented the Castro on the Board of Supervisors from 2002-2011, and currently serves on the BART Board of Directors.

Christopher Christensen

Fresh off successfully organizing unions at Tartine Bakery and Anchor Steam Brewery, Chris Christensen tells us “I’m born and raised in San Francisco and a 4th-generation ILWU (International Longshore and Warehouse Union) member,” and, “I’m running for DCCC to give the working people of SF a voice in this city and to fight against social, economic, and racial injustices.”

Mick Del Rosario (Mobilize Organize)

First-generation Filipino-American Mick Del Rosario is a public health advocate and program manager for SF Hep B Free. “I’m running to help lead the San Francisco Democratic Party and represent residents,” he said. “I will be focusing on addressing support for mental health services, public transportation, and building more housing to make the city affordable again.”

Gloria Berry (Social Justice)

“After being present for a DCCC meeting and hearing the N-word used six times and no member of the DCCC stopping it, I considered running,” says grandmother, Navy veteran, and former San Quentin staffer Gloria Berry. “When the DCCC did not endorse Dean Preston for District 5 Supervisor and Chesa Boudin for District Attorney, I knew I had to run. I’m running to represent people that are not on the City’s payroll, not in an appointed position and who are most effected buy a plethora of people upholding the status quo.”

David Villa-Lobos

While not formally connected with either slate, David Villa-Lobos is executive director of a liquor, restaurant, and cannabis permitting operation called Community Leadership Alliance.

Tyra Fennell (Mobilize Organize)

A longtime Bayview organizer,https://www.spur.org/about/board/tyra-fennellI am a ground up candidate who believes in the power of community engagement and seeks to be a direct connection between the needs of everyday San Franciscans and the Democratic Party. As a member of the DCCC, my goal is to increase San Francisco voter registration and endorse candidates that will move our City’s progressive agenda forward.  

Frances Hsieh (Social Justice)

Frances Hsieh is the current Recording Secretary for the DCCC and running for reelection. Her day job is within the San Francisco’s Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs, “implementing and enforcing the City’s strongest-in-the-nation Language Access Ordinance.”

Peter Gallotta (Social Justice)

Peter Galotta decribes himself as a “Queer climate-justice activist running to curb corporate influence on the Democratic Party in San Francisco.”

Shaun Haines

Not technically affiliated with either slate, Shaun Haines tells us that “two to three lines of text is insufficient to describe why I’m running or to base an endorsement. It’s like walking with no feet.” Okay! 

Jane Kim (Social Justice)

You know Jane Kim from her two terms on the Board of Supervisors and from the 2018 mayoral race. She’s also a “current Bernie Sanders’ campaign State Director who fought for Universal Childcare and to make City College free.”

Rafael Mandelman (Social Justice)

You current District 8 supervisor, Rafael Mandelman tells us that “Back in 2006, long before I was a Supervisor, I ran for and won a seat on San Francisco’s Democratic County Central Committee because I believed, as I still believe, that our ability to solve problems locally cannot be separated from the state of our politics at the State and national levels.  Looking ahead to this November and beyond, it is critical that we organize and mobilize resources here in SF to help flip purple districts and states blue, and I am running for re-election to be part of that effort.”

Shanell Williams (Social Justice)

The Social Justice Democrats describe Shanell Williams as a “City College Board Trustee, health equity advocate, and San Francisco native ready to get to work on the DCCC.”

Mike Chen (Mobilize Organize)

“80,000 people move to San Francisco every year. But the dark side is that San Francisco is becoming less affordable, less convenient to travel, and less vibrant. It’s getting harder and harder for people to live and stay in San Francisco,” says candidate Mike Chen. “I don’t see enough in our discourse about how to make our city more open, more accessible, more inclusive. I want to start pushing the Democratic Party to make sure that we live and embody our values of tolerance, diversity, and welcome. 

Austin Hunter (Mobilize Organize)

Austin Hunter tells us that “I work to make our party better day in and day out. I feel the DCCC needs new leadership from people who are the boots on the ground. From here on out, I want to have more activists to be a part of our party, and I want the DCCC to do more to hold our electeds accountable.”

David Campos (Social Justice)

Two-term District 9 supervisor Davis Campos is the current chair of the DCCC and he’s running again.

Nima Rahimi (Mobilize Organize)

Nima Rahimi describes himself as “a Commissioner on the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission and has helped lead special hearings on the crisis at the border, the status of DACA, the Trump travel ban on Muslim majority nations, and on the Yemen Civil War, and he has advocated for abolishing ICE and to expand our state’s sanctuary laws to further protect our at-risk immigrants.” As an elected delegate of the California Democratic Party, he says he’s “authored, co-authored, co-sponsored, and/or voted in favor of hundreds of resolutions representing our progressive California and San Francisco values such as repealing prop 10, Medicare for All, and a Green New Deal.”

Bivett Brackett (Mobilize Organize)

Bivett Brackett says on her campaign site that she’s a “proud mother, small business owner, and longtime resident of San Francisco” who’s running, in part, because “Our beloved local businesses are in need of revival and more must be done to address the widening inequality gap. It’s clear more investments are needed in underserved communities and our party must do more to advance the issues and ideas of people of color.”

Shamann Walton (Social Justice)

Your District 10 supervisor Shamann Walton and current DCCC member says, “I am serving on and running for the DCCC as a part of the Social Justice Democrats slate, in order to work hard to protect the the most vulnerable, get trump out of office and fight for bold policies that address homelessness, affordability and the economic gaps and disparities that exist in our communities.”

Anabell Ibáñez (Social Justice)

Her slate’s website says that “Educators need a seat at the table, which is why Ibanez, Political Director of the United Educators of San Francisco, is running for the DCCC.”

Rick Hauptman

He’s not on either slate technically, but his “40 Years of Service to the Party and to San Francisco” is a lengthy list of credentials.

Honey Mahogany (Social Justice)

Rupaul’s Drag Race veteran and legislative aide to Supervisor Matt Haney, Honey Mahogany says, “As a founder of the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District and of the Stud Collective; co-owner of the Stud Bar; a former President of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club; and an appointed member of the SF DCCC, I have a proven track record of effective leadership and of creating real, lasting, positive change. If elected, I will be the first trans / gender non-conforming person of color ever elected in San Francisco and the State of California.”

Nomvula O’Meara

One-time District 5 supervisor candidate Nomvula O’Meara says that she’s “a mother of three who has experienced homelessness, having had to have raised my children in three different shelters. In that time I was still able to get an MFA, and now I want to run for DCCC because my experience has given me an intimate understanding of the problems facing a disproportionate amount of people in SF. I want to bring more community involvement to the committee and the democratic party by empowering community leaders and people like me who need to have their voices heard.”

Kristen Asato-Webb (Mobilize Organize)

Kristen Asato-Webb is an Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club Board Member and California Democratic Party Assembly District 17 delegate who “fights tirelessly for better representation of women, people of color, and the LGBT community at all levels.”

Matt Haney (Social Justice)

You know Matt Haney as your District 6 supervisor, and he recently gave Broke-Ass Stuart certificate of honor!

Hillary Ronen (Social Justice)

Another Board of Supervisors member is running, as Hillary Ronen is District 6 supervisor and a DCCC candidate.

Tamita Bryant (Mobilize Organize)

Calling herself a “grassroots grandma,” Tami Bryant tells us she’s a “lifelong Democrat with more than four decades in San Francisco, and that “her priorities are to elevate the voices of ordinary people who are so frequently left out of the discussion. I’m an appointed incumbent and my endorsements and votes are public record, I always vote for the progressive candidates and measures.

Image: Carole Migden via Wikimedia Commons

Carole Migden (Mobilize Organize)

A former state senator and assemblyperson, Carole Migden tells us, “I have been an experienced San Francisco elected official and party activist for decades. The stability of our country is at stake. The local party must recruit volunteers to work in states we must win for victory in November.”

Kevin Ortiz 

Kevin Ortiz is active with SF Latino Democrats.

Nancy Tung (Mobilize Organize)

Recent district attorney candidate and first-generation Chinese American Nancy Tung tells us that if elected, “I will be focusing on addressing support for mental health services, public transportation, and building more housing to make the city affordable again.I’m running for DCCC because I think the leadership of the Democratic Party needs to reflect the broader concerns of everyday San Franciscans. From public safety issues to public corruption, I bring to the table two decades of experience protecting communities as a prosecutor. I’m also a mother to a toddler, so issues around keeping the City livable and making sure our public educational system is robust are part of my priorities.”

Victor Olivieri (Mobilize Organize)

Dr. Victor Olivieri tells us he’s “an immigrant who became an US Army Officer to pay for his education and a first-generation college student who is now teaching as a professor.” Current  co-chair of the California Democratic Party Resolutions Committee and President of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Commission. He also calls himself a “tireless advocate for practical progressive policies that champion social equity, environmental sustainability, and lifelong education with an emphasis on our underserved communities,” who “looks forward to working with all parts of the Democratic spectrum to flip red seats in purple states and take back the Senate and the White House in 2020.”

Vallie Brown (Mobilize Organize)

Briefly serving as District 5 supervisor, Vallie Brown is back in the ring running for DCCC. 

William Daugherty

Better known as Anubis Daugherty, he was a prominent advocate for the 2018 Prop C: Our City Our Home measure.

John Avalos (Social Justice)

The former District 11 supervisor who’s running for the seat again, John Avalos adds that he’s “a union organizer with the National Union of Healthcare Workers and labor candidate to the SFDCCC to bring the voice of working people to the party. The national party has been a disaster — lost every statehouse, governorship and the Presidency in 2016; failed to account for how this could have happened; and is on the same path all over again, unaccountable to and out of touch with working people and offering only milquetoast candidates who will NOT create the kind of change needed to lead this country out of crisis. The local level is where it’s at and I am running to ensure that local communities can have a greater say in how government at every level treats us. As an organizer, I am part of the movement for Medicare for All with Mental Health Parity, Social Housing, and a Green Economy, all of which should be mainstream Democratic Party issues.”