Tom McCune
Davina Hurt
Belmont Councilmember Tom McCune increased his lead over colleague Davina Hurt, as of Thursday, Nov. 6, since the switch to district election forced both incumbents to face off against one another in the election.
McCune shows a 19% lead over Hurt, who garnered 33% of total votes. About 11% went to Republican candidate Arina Merkulova.
The race drew regional attention in the weeks leading up to Nov. 5, as independent expenditure reports showed that an oil and gas industry group, the Committee for Jobs and the Economy, spent more than $23,000 supporting McCune. It also spent nearly $60,000 in support of East Palo Alto Councilmember Lisa Gauthier, who was elected to represent District 4 on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
McCune said he was not aware of the mailers until he stumbled upon one and was not involved with the committee at all.
“In hindsight, I wish the mailers hadn’t happened but there is really nothing I could do about it,” he said. “If they had misquoted me or said untrue things about me or said untrue things about Davina, I would’ve had a problem.”
Hurt currently is chair of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District board and is a member of the California Air Resources Board. BAAQMD recently fined oil firm Valero $82 million over toxic emissions violations.
McCune serves on the board of Peninsula Clean Energy, a public electricity provider in the county.
“I used to design solar houses and passive energy houses. I really support environmental efforts, so I’m not some environmental troglodyte. I didn’t run for council because I wanted to have any negative impact on environmental air quality,” he said.
McCune said he may have received some added support due to the mailers, but the wide margin suggests it wasn’t a significant factor.
“I think I got some additional votes, but I don’t think it was enough to alter the outcome. If they hadn’t happened, the margin may have been a little closer but I still think I would’ve won because I had a more active campaign,” he said.
Hurt did not return calls and emails for comment.
Karen Maki, chair of the San Mateo County Central Committee, said the industry’s initiative felt more targeted than previous elections.
“She might have been the only candidate [in San Mateo County] targeted like that,” Maki said. “Usually it felt like they picked their favorite, not so much that they were targeting someone.”
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guestb9f37c5dff62bb8e88157dfb said:
Ahem. Irizarry said that he currently runs the office.
Dirk van Ulden said:
guestb9f37c5dff62bb8e88157dfb said:
guestb9f37c5dff62bb8e88157dfb said:
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(8) comments
Congratulations Tom, you are clearly the best person to represent Belmont residents. Davina had lost that that touch years ago while focusing on environmental issues. Remember that she was a strong proponent of the natural gas ban, which has been emasculated. She is nothing but a group thinker so perhaps the BAAQMD can now select someone who actually knows what his or her role should be.
"an oil and gas industry group, the Committee for Jobs and the Economy, spent more than $23,000 supporting McCune. It also spent nearly $60,000 in support of East Palo Alto Councilmember Lisa Gauthier, who was elected to represent District 4 on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors."
It's always nice to have names and faces when discussing corrupt politics in San Mateo County. All you have to do is look where the oil and car industry is "sponsoring" or where YIMBY is putting their money. Apparently Davina's endorsement of the 101 "express lanes" wasn't enough for the Oilers, they found somebody even "better".
Hey eGerd, TBot here – it sounds like folks voting for McCune or Gauthier don’t care that the oil and gas industry donated to these candidates. Perhaps the oil and gas industry has donated to other candidates in the Bay Area and their candidates lost? (But the reporter only wants to “shame” the oil and gas industry for candidates that won?) And how much of the total war chests of these candidates were the oil and gas amounts? We need to remember that money doesn’t necessarily translate to victory. Look at the Harris campaign and supporters blowing what, over $2 billion to defeat Trump? And yet… Same with Hillary. Didn’t she blow over $1 billion and yet she still lost to Trump? That being said, public unions have a virtual stranglehold on California legislators. It would be interesting to track voting records and see how past and current electees have kowtowed to special interests. Maybe not so much, else I would imagine opposing campaigns would use that information to their advantage.
Hi TBot - that is a long post to say you are pro-corruption? Or when it is your favorite candidate it's good, it's only bad when the others do it?
The solution of course is campaign finance reform, but all politicians like that they can take money and call it "campaign financing" instead of what it really is: Corruption.
Hey eGerd, TBot here – thanks for your response. I guess it depends on your definition of “corruption.” If we use a generally accepted definition then I’d say I am, and everyone else should be, completely against corruption as it implies someone is doing something illegal. If it isn’t illegal to donate to campaigns then it is not corruption. Now if someone donates to a campaign and there’s evidence of bribery, then there’s a problem. Until then, we call it what it is: special interests. BTW, I get the feeling everyone is for special interests if it’s in their interest and not for special interests if they’re not. So does that mean everyone is, using your definition, pro-corruption? Regardless, if you had your druthers, what would campaign finance reform look like for you? What guidelines/restrictions would you institute?
The definition of corruption is plain, simple, and known since the dark ages: "Whose bread I eat, his song I sing." And I would argue both candidates did sing for The Oilers, one apparently just a little louder than the other.
It's funny you would side with the lawmakers incl. the Supreme Court, who made sure corruption (as in taking money from corporate interest) is "legal" in America. Because if it really was legal then the US wouldn't be so low on the CPI (Corruption Perception Index) and fighting with the likes of Barbados, Uruguay, Chile, Bhutan, United Arab Emirates for a better spot.
Fertilizer is a byproduct of drilling, equals more fertilizer, which means larger crop yields , which means lower prices. Why is this a bad thing what is the replacement source of fertilizer?
It's called Compost and it would solve all problems:
- healthier food
- better for small family farms
- cheaper production
- better soil
- no desertification of areas
- no fertilizer asthma in the central valley
- better water retention, so no draught
- no flooding either.
- cleaner rivers
- more and healthier fish to catch
The only ones that think "fertilizers" are great must be in the pockets of BigChemicals - another player in the corruption game.
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