Can Too Left, Make it Right?

Just because Cecilia M. Vega, Chronicle Staff Writer is too hot to date me, doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take her seriously. Seriously, when she asks, how left can left go without leaving the building, and the voting booth?

San Francisco Progressives will be gathering at the Tenderloin Community School to hold the largest ‘community congress’ since 1974. Supervisor Chris Daly, who represents the beautiful Tenderloin neighborhood, hopes use the Progressive Convention, June 2nd, to caucus with possible contenders ranging from Green Party member, Matt Gonzalez; Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi to former Mayor, Art Agnos to produce a platform and contender that can challenge Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Richard DeLeon, the San Francisco State University professor who wrote a book on local progressive politics called "Left Coast City," said the movement peaked during the city's last mayoral race in 2003, when Green Party member Matt Gonzalez narrowly lost to Newsom. But the city's progressive contingent could mount a credible challenge to the mayor -- if it finds the right candidate, he said:

"If you add up all the different potential blocs across the issues of racial and
ethnic politics, gay politics and land use, you could have more than enough to
mount a challenge against Newsom."

"But the question is whether there is a candidate that can pull all the
different groups together and come up with a coherent platform to challenge
Newsom. Until that happens, he will probably cruise to a re-election."

The question of who will run against Newsom has stumped progressives for months. Cecelia Vega suggests, behind the scenes, most [potential progressive candidates] are put off by the prospect of being a sacrificial lamb in a run against a popular mayor who, though disdained by some at City Hall, enjoys high approval ratings from voters.

Click: Convention date set, but still no candidate to learn how Left of Moderate Democrat the Left can go without leaving the party.