This moment could change everything

In my lifetime, there has never been a leak like this from the high court.

Someone may have leaked it in the hope that the outcry would force the court to back off.

Or it may have been leaked specifically to influence the outcome of the midterm elections, which had been shaping up as a debacle for the Democrats.

In either case, and to state the obvious, this will energize a significant segment of the voting — and even the customarily nonvoting — population to weigh in on the 2022 elections.

This issue could affect every race on the June 7 ballot: The 15th Congressional District race, since Congress, undoubtedly, will be a venue for post-Roe legislation; the 21st Assembly race, since the California Legislature, undoubtedly, will pass legislation supporting reproductive rights and could consider bills to make California a haven for women seeking abortions; and the race for two seats on the Board of Supervisors, since the county can be expected to consider how it can provide continuing support for women’s rights.

Clearly, this issue always will be a priority for women candidates and there are women running in races at all these relevant levels

In the congressional race, Burlingame Councilmember Emily Beach has prioritized the right to choice from the outset. There are two women running in the Assembly race — Councilmembers Giselle Hale of Redwood City and Diane Papan of San Mateo. School board member Noelia Corzo is running for supervisor in District 2; two women, San Carlos Councilmember Laura Parmer-Lohan and multi-district commissioner Virginia Chang Kiraly are running in District 3.

This is a deep blue community and there is no bluer issue than the right of a woman to make decisions regarding her own body — particularly as they concern the decision to have a child. And nearly all the candidates in these races are emphatically pro-choice. The question for voters, if abortion rights is a central issue, is which of these candidates can be expected to be the most vigilant, the most relentless and the most creative in protecting the rights of a woman to control her own biological destiny.

HERE IT COMES: Special interests are starting to show especially special interest in the 21st AD race and, in particular, the Papan/Hale face-off — largely to Papan’s benefit.

Two major political action committees — Housing Providers for Responsible Solutions and Future PAC — have weighed in with major independent expenditures.

Housing Providers reported it will spend $314,594 in opposition to Hale, including $202,691 in digital ads and $90,768 in mailers. This committee’s funders include the California Apartment Association ($250,000) and the California Real Estate Political Action Committee ($100,000).

Future PAC is spending $66,139 in support of Papan, including $50,914 in mailers. This committee is funded by an array of business interests, including the cattle industry, correctional officers, the California Hospital Association, the pharmaceutical industry and Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy, which was founded by Chevron, PG&E and Walmart to elect “moderate Democrats” to office.

These independent expenditures are in addition to maximum individual donations made by these groups to Papan. What it demonstrates, clearly, is that the corporate interests that want to build more housing are lining up with Papan over Hale, even though both of them assert they have been aggressive supporters of more housing. Hale, nonetheless, is the more progressive candidate, and that appears to unsettle these funding interests.

In direct fundraising, the latest reports through March 31 show Hale outraised Papan by nearly $100,000.

Perhaps more significantly, Hale had $458,130 in cash on hand to Papan’s $264,349. But as prodigious a fundraiser as Hale is and with that much of a lead in cash on hand, and her long-demonstrated effectiveness in the use of social media, Hale would have been expected to hold her own. But that was before it was clear there are well-funded interests working against her.

Meanwhile, mail-in ballots begin arriving in local mailboxes on Monday, which means voting begins next week.

For those of you who were concerned you were not hearing from the candidates about where they stand, you are about to enjoy a deluge. Check the fine print to see who paid for the mail.

Mark Simon is a veteran journalist, whose career included 15 years as an executive at SamTrans and Caltrain. He can be reached at marksimon@smdailyjournal.com.