Only in San Francisco  

By: Ellie Schafer

The machine" as it is known in San Francisco politics, is the well-funded, well-connected Democratic powerhouse started by Mayor Willie Brown and Senate Pro-Tem John Burton which had dominated elections for decades.  Until recently, getting the backing of the so-called Brown/Burton Machine virtually assured victory for the anointed candidates.

 

Going into the 2000 election cycle, Mayor Willie Brown had a stronghold on the SF Board of Supervisors (controlling at least 8 of the 11 at any given time) and its legislative agenda. These days however, having a “machine” tag on your candidacy can mean death to a shining political career.

The anti-machine sentiment first surfaced in the elections of November 2000, when nearly every candidate Mayor Brown backed for the Board of Supervisors lost. The only Brown candidate spared ran unopposed. 

Mayor Brown lost his stronghold and is now lucky if he gets 3 out of the 11 Supervisors to support his legislation and agenda.  In fact, the Mayor has gone from driving the legislative agenda to watching the Board override his veto.

Enter March 2002!  The March 2002 primary saw anti-Brown/Burton candidate Jeff Adachi run against Senate President John Burton's daughter, Kimiko Burton, for Public Defender.  All the money in the world (literally) couldn’t save Burton from the backlash and Adachi easily won the Public Defender’s race.

This November’s election cycle will determine if the previous Supes and Burton were the proverbial “canary in the coal mine” or if the backlash is over.

Although Mayor Brown is a lame duck, almost all of the Propositions on the November ballot are written to take some sort of power away from the Mayor’s office.  We will discuss those in the next column…and believe me there are a few which will make you shake your head and say…“Only in San Francisco !”

Writer’s Note: Politics can be a fiercely combative and cut throat business in which political consultants take no prisoners and attack each other mercilessly!  On August 9^th, fellow political consultant Robert Barnes, a colossal force in San Francisco politics, passed away after a tough 7-week battle with Guillian-Barre disease.  Flags will be flown at half-staff in his honor and a memorial will be held at City Hall on the evening of August 26, which would have been his 43rd birthday. As someone who battled with him and against him, I can honestly say it was more fun to be on his side!  He will be missed!

 

Ellie Schafer is a contributing writer to PurePolitics.com and has been featured in USA Today, CNN's Inside Politics, The New York Times and has been a regular guest on the Fox Radio "Kiley and Booms" show as well as other national and local media.