Endorsements are important. Take the open District 3 supervisor’s race where Don Horsley is retiring. Ray Mueller, Menlo Park councilmember, is running against Laura Parmer-Lohan, San Carlos councilmember. Parmer-Lohan has the support of Horsley, Supervisor David Canepa and outgoing Supervisor Carole Groom and many others. But Mueller has the endorsement of the local papers, supervisors Dave Pine and Warren Slocum and a majority of councilmembers.
Mueller has also spent time and energy in Pacifica, the largest city in the district, which may count for much more than the endorsement of three supervisors. District 3 includes cities of Atherton, southeast Belmont, Half Moon Bay, Pacifica, Portola Valley, San Carlos and Woodside. It also includes unincorporated Devonshire Canyon, El Granada, Emerald Lake Hills, Harbor Industrial Park, La Honda, Ladera, Loma Mar, Los Trancos Woods, Miramar, Montara, Moss Beach, Palomar Park, Pescadero, Princeton By-The-Sea, San Gregorio, Skyline, Skylonda, Stanford Lands, Vista Verde and West Menlo Park.
On the other hand, it’s supposed to be the year of the woman because of tensions over abortion. Most candidates, men and women, are broadcasting their support from organizations like Planned Parenthood and some female candidates say only a woman can understand what a right to an abortion means. Groom is the only woman on the Board of Supervisors. Some argue she needs to be replaced by another woman or the board could be all male. In 2024, there is a good chance there will be female replacements for both Dave Pine’s and Warren Slocum’s seats
It’s not a good idea to have an all-male or an all-female board. I have served on a school board when I was the only woman and on the city council when there was only one man. But in my humble experience, it’s less about the gender of the candidate and more about his/her knowledge of the issues.
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One of the closest city council races to watch is in San Mateo’s District 3, which includes Bay Meadows, 19th Avenue Park and Sunnybrae. The popular Joe Goethals lived in the district but recently moved to District 1 where Lisa Diaz Nash has wrapped things up and Goethals decided not to run. A Nash-Goethals match would have been fun to witness. Goethals usually voted with the council’s more liberal members yet Nash has the support of a cross section because no progressive is challenging her. But Goethals is extremely popular and could prove unbeatable in a race with Nash.
Getting back to the third district, it looks like a close race between Robert Newsom and Sarah Fields. Fields was recently endorsed by the Daily Journal. She also has the support of state Sen. Josh Becker, Belmont Councilmember Charles Stone, Goethals, and most of the progressives.
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On the other hand, Newsom has the support of the city’s old guard, including San Mateo Councilmember Eric Rodriguez; former mayors Claire Mack and Maureen Freschet; Rod Linhares, San Mateo City Council candidate in District 5; Nash; second cousin, California Gov. Gavin Newsom; former state senator Jerry Hill; and San Mateo supervisors Canepa and Groom.
***
I have been on a trip with family to the East Coast and a trip south. The nation’s capital is overrun with food trucks so there is a limited number of parking spaces and no disabled parking. We stopped to visit the new African American History museum. A must see but don’t visit on a Sunday as we did. Way too crowded to absorb all the history from the slave trade to the present. Among the sins of slavery was the deliberate lack of education for children and adults.
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Then a drive through famous Civil War battlefields including Manassas (Bull Run); an overnight in Spotsylvania Courthouse outside Richmond. We did a quick tour of the battlefield where Confederates and Union soldiers were in hand-to-hand combat. More than 40,000 young men were killed in one day.
On the drive down, we listened to a series on the Civil War battles — highlighted by bios of the main actors from Lincoln, Davis, Grant, Lee and their generals. The lecturer said the most popular and important book in the North was “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” It gave a picture of slavery unknown to the North and, according to Lincoln and others, helped start the Civil War.
Sue Lempert is the former mayor of San Mateo. Her column runs every Monday. She can be reached at sue@smdailyjournal.com.
Your trip visiting museums, monuments, and battlefields in the National Capitol Area reminded me when my family took a float trip on the Potomoc by Harper's Ferry. In our briefing the guide said, "This is the Potomoc River. It separates the morons from the idiots." Not sure why I remember this but seems to fit in with politics and endorsements.
Rob Newsom has focused his attention on the people of San Mateo and the neighborhoods from day one. Old guard versus new is not really productive as we are one City.
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Your trip visiting museums, monuments, and battlefields in the National Capitol Area reminded me when my family took a float trip on the Potomoc by Harper's Ferry. In our briefing the guide said, "This is the Potomoc River. It separates the morons from the idiots." Not sure why I remember this but seems to fit in with politics and endorsements.
Rob Newsom has focused his attention on the people of San Mateo and the neighborhoods from day one. Old guard versus new is not really productive as we are one City.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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