Oakland mayor’s race heats up as former California member of Congress jumps in

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LEE ANNOUNCES HER BID FOR OAKLAND MAYOR

After weeks of speculation, former Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee on Wednesday formally announced that she is running for mayor of Oakland.

Lee, 78, previously unsuccessfully ran for California’s U.S. Senate seat, which ultimately was won by then Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff.

“Time and time again, Oaklanders have faced our toughest obstacles by uniting to meet our challenges,” Lee said in a statement. “At this critical moment, we must not be a city divided, but a community united. If elected I will bring my hands-on leadership, new ideas and decades of experience in identifying billions in resources for our great city, so all residents and businesses are stronger and safer and our community has optimism and confidence in Oakland’s future.”

Lee said that if elected, her priorities would be tackling the homelessness crisis, addressing public safety concerns and leading “with fiscal responsibility.”

One of Lee’s opponents, according to Politico, is moderate Democrat Loren Taylor who previously ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2022.

Oakland’s special election for mayor is set for April 15.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Misinformation and harmful content have real-world consequences. We cannot allow platforms like Meta to abdicate their responsibility to provide a safe and trustworthy environment for their users. This decision demonstrates a blatant disregard for the safety of children and the integrity of public discourse.”

- Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, D-Orinda, in a statement responding to Meta’s decision to end its independent fact-checking program.

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