On the fringe — The second tier

Not anymore. The county is undergoing a transition as the old guard leaves the scene, and a new guard has yet to fully emerge.

As a result, the list of people named by my sources — who were promised anonymity — is long and varied. This further demonstrates that there no longer is a clear set of prominent and influential leaders.

Again, there is nothing formal about the list or how I conducted the research. It is a sampling of people whose opinions I trust.

SECOND TIER — Just below the top 10 is a group of individuals seen as prominent in various ways, but whose influence, while significant, is not essentially impactful. At least not yet. Here they are in alphabetical order.

Supervisor David Canepa may be the most widely known elected official in the county and, seemingly, is everywhere. To paraphrase Matthew 18:20, wherever two or more are gathered, Canepa is there. He loves media attention. It could be that the most dangerous 10 feet in the county are between Canepa and a TV camera. But for all the media coverage he has earned, it is seen widely as self-serving, intended to raise his own profile in pursuit of another elective office, not for any important and impactful policy purpose. In other words, his influence seems to be limited to his own behalf. Still he makes the list, and near the top, by sheer effort.

Political and policy advice are routinely and widely sought from public affairs consultant Don Cecil. For would-be candidates, Cecil often is their first stop for advice on the viability of a possible candidacy, the nuts-and-bolts of launching a run and how to build support for issue initiatives. He is a trusted and respected advisor and his relatively modest campaign contributions often signal that a candidacy is viable. He is a continuing and prominent advisor to the San Mateo County Economic Development Association.

The first directly elected and Chinese American Jewish mayor, Belmont’s Julia Mates has demonstrated influence and connections beyond her small city. She frequently is on hand for a wide range of county events where being present is a means to influence. She began serving on the council in 2018, and was first elected mayor in 2022. She was reelected in 2024 and is running for the post again this year.

The San Mateo Daily Journal, led by Editor-in-Chief Jon Mays, is the only unaffiliated, nonpartisan institution that endorses in political campaigns. Mays’ work on endorsements is marked by his diligence and fairness. Some are skeptical about the voter impact of newspaper endorsements, but candidates love to get the DJ’s and typically tout them in campaign materials. Beyond endorsements, the newspaper is widely influential because of its objective reporting of local news and, in particular, the role it plays as watchdog.

It is rare for figures in North County to have countywide influence — they tend to stick to their local issues. Former Jefferson Union High School Trustee Kalimah Salahuddin is the exception. Perhaps the most prominent Black leader in the county, she is seen as a common-sense consensus-builder — her opinion and advice are widely sought throughout the county and her support of initiatives is seen as important and impactful. She no longer holds office — she often is approached to run for some new post — but her impact is unmistakable.

That’s the second tier. Next week, I will go through those who were mentioned as up-and-coming potential leaders, behind-the-scenes brokers and even a category I call Others Who Made the List of Others.

Then, in two weeks, I will list the top 10 — people who clearly are regarded as the most influential in local politics and policymaking.

By the way, I am told some people are calling this “Simon’s List.” For the sake of the permanent record, this is decidedly not my list and does not reflect my own assessment of the county’s most influential. I have no disagreement with who is on the list, but it has been composed by those I interviewed, and only compiled by me.