On a current Saturday in March, a number of hundred individuals crammed the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland for a quintessential get together to honor longtime Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee.
Oakland’s Youth Poet Laureate Ella Gordon recited a robust poem in regards to the magic of dwelling within the numerous East Bay metropolis, whereas performances from Future Muhammad, a.okay.a. the Harpist from the Hood, and younger dancers within the African Queens Dance Firm ignited the venue with the form of soulful, grassroots vitality for which this city is famend.
Lee, 78, left Washington, D.C., in January after in final yr’s main to fellow Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who went on to win the seat in November. The loss appeared a muffled conclusion to her practically three a long time in Congress, the place her antiwar positions and help for civil rights made her a hometown hero again in Oakland.
The March 8 occasion was no retirement get together, nonetheless, however a significant fundraiser for Lee’s subsequent enterprise: operating for Oakland mayor.
In a accident that would find yourself re-energizing Lee’s political profession, Oakland discovered itself in want of a brand new chief government after voters in November . The ouster underscored residents’ frustrations with brazen avenue crime, sprawling tent cities and a normal sense that Thao, a progressive elected in 2022, didn’t have options.
Additional clouding her exit: Federal officers in January introduced that Thao had been , alongside along with her boyfriend and a father-son workforce who run the corporate that gives Oakland’s recycling companies, alleging a corruption scheme involving money funds and marketing campaign help in change for metropolis contracts. All 4 defendants have pleaded not responsible.
Within the decade main as much as the pandemic, Oakland had emerged as a well-liked various to San Francisco, with a youthful downtown, extra inexpensive housing and high-energy nightlife. However the metropolis has struggled to recuperate from the COVID-era shutdowns. A surge in property crimes and “smash-and-grab” robberies drove some high-profile companies to depart city. Between 2022 and 2024, the variety of individuals dwelling on the streets, in autos or deserted buildings elevated by 10%. In 2023, homicides for the fourth consecutive yr.
So, for her military of avid devotees, it was a profound reduction when Lee introduced in early January that she would run for mayor within the April 15 particular election.
“I’m all the time able to battle for Oakland,” Lee mentioned in saying her bid.
Her marketing campaign has been endorsed by a broad coalition of elected officers, enterprise teams, labor unions and religion leaders who preserve she is the suitable girl for the second, with the conviction and expertise wanted to unify residents.
“We’d like her. She doesn’t want us,” Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins informed the gang on the March occasion.
Lee’s entrance into the race helped skinny what what had been a crowded subject of candidates contemplating a run. Many anticipated Lee would have a straightforward path to victory. Why stand in her method?
However punching at that mindset is Loren Taylor, a average Democrat who represented parts of East Oakland for 4 years on the Metropolis Council earlier than within the 2022 mayoral election. Although 9 candidates in complete stay within the race, solely Taylor has emerged as a formidable challenger to Lee.
Taylor, a 47-year-old enterprise administration advisor with a grasp’s diploma in biomedical engineering, has attracted widespread help, together with from the enterprise neighborhood and amongst tech entrepreneurs, for his give attention to public security and bringing good governance again to Oakland.
“We now have loads of issues that should be mounted, and should be mounted instantly,” Taylor mentioned at a current debate.
Their candidacies current voters with a provocative alternative: Ought to Oaklanders select a seasoned public servant who delivered for the district throughout her a long time within the nation’s capital? Or a scrappy politician 31 years her junior who’s immersed in native points and is aware of the internal workings of Metropolis Corridor?
Underscoring their variations are the slogans every has chosen: Lee promotes herself as somebody who can “unify” Oakland. Taylor says his intention is to “repair” what’s damaged.
When Lee declared her candidacy, Taylor figured he had two choices.
The primary was to take heed to the slew of people that tried to steer him to face down, Taylor mentioned in a February interview: “Principally wait my flip and permit for her to slip into this seat.”
The second was to buck the naysayers and keep within the race. “All proper, if she’s in, it’ll be robust,” he mentioned of his considering. “But additionally, if she’s in, is that basically what’s finest for Oakland?”
Each Taylor and Lee have vowed to make preventing crime a precedence, in addition to serving to the estimated 5,400 homeless individuals in Oakland discover shelter and housing. They’ve pledged to rein in authorities spending within the face of a finances deficit. And so they’ve touted insurance policies to extend transparency as a approach to rebuild public belief.
However Taylor argues there are variations that separate the 2. For one, they arrive from completely different generations. Although each are Democrats, Taylor describes himself as extra average and doesn’t shy from a pro-law enforcement stance, saying the town wants to rent greater than 100 extra law enforcement officials.
He’ll typically say Lee was an amazing member of Congress — however one in all 435 members within the Home. In distinction, he mentioned, he is aware of the hustle and grind of being a neighborhood official in it for the lengthy slog. He’s focused Lee’s refusal to say publicly whether or not she plans to run for reelection in 2026.
“I believe the query that must be requested is, all proper, do we would like a 78-year-old profession politician who has not proven a historical past of creating the onerous, troublesome selections?” he mentioned. “Or do we would like a 47-year-old political outsider who has been on the bottom, working inside Metropolis Corridor, throughout a number of stakeholder teams, demonstrating the power to resolve these troublesome issues, and is dedicated to being right here past simply 20 months?”
Lee informed The Instances this month that her resolution to run for reelection could be as much as the voters, and whether or not they assume she has performed a adequate job. Taylor’s criticism has incensed her supporters, who say he’s disrespecting one in all Oakland’s heroes.
“For no actual cause, our congresswoman is beneath assault when she is doing a sacrificial factor,” Metropolis Councilmember Carroll Fife mentioned on the March occasion. “That is Barbara Lee. Put some respect on her identify.”
“I’ve watched her do issues that only a few politicians can do,” U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon, a Democrat who was elected to Lee’s former seat in November, added in a current telephone interview from Washington. “Barbara can choose up the telephone and name to get by means of to everybody.”
Simon famous the a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in funding Lee dropped at the district from Washington, and the way she was prepared to work throughout the aisle with Republicans and convey collectively labor and enterprise for negotiations. She’s championed insurance policies that focused racism, sexism, poverty and labor exploitation, values that stemmed from her expertise as a Black Panther activist and her instructional coaching at Mills School and UC Berkeley.
“Oakland is in a disaster,” Simon mentioned. “This isn’t a job-training alternative. You want somebody with native, state, regional, nationwide and worldwide relationships with different lawmakers, the private and non-private sectors, to get issues in form.”
Does enraging Lee’s backers — who span influential curiosity teams — fear Taylor?
“I didn’t get into this public service function to play it secure and to make half commitments to my metropolis,” he mentioned. “I believe that’s one of many issues that now we have, is that too many individuals are factoring their very own political profession as a substitute of what’s finest for the constituents that they’re serving.”
Taylor’s boldness has earned him respect amongst Oaklanders who wish to see a extra aggressive method to the town’s issues.
“He’s pragmatic about delivering outcomes, not simply the ‘blah blah blah,’” mentioned former Metropolis Councilmember Patricia Kernighan. “He already is steeped in these points, he is aware of what the info are. He is aware of all of the gamers. It’s crunch time.”
“It’s a really liberal metropolis, which is sweet, however typically it causes of us to lose sight of frequent sense,” mentioned Bob Cross, one in all about two dozen individuals who spent a current Sunday door-knocking for Taylor. “Barbara Lee has performed a great job in Washington. However she has by no means been a part of metropolis authorities.”
Taylor has shocked his skeptics after gaining momentum in current weeks. In early March, he reported a slight fundraising lead in comparison with Lee. Mid-month, his marketing campaign launched a ballot displaying he’s on observe to garner 41% of first-place votes in comparison with Lee’s 45%. (Oakland makes use of a ranked-choice voting system that permits voters to pick out a number of candidates by order of desire.)
Nonetheless, it’s no straightforward feat to run towards a girl who has received greater than a dozen races, most of them by extensive margins. Throughout her final congressional marketing campaign in 2022, Lee received with greater than 90% of the vote.
Throughout a Sunday in mid-March, Taylor labored his method down a row of cozy properties in east Oakland on a door-knocking mission to whip up votes. He paused to introduce himself to an older man out strolling his canine.
The person listened earlier than politely telling Taylor he was going to vote for Lee.
“I’ve been voting for her for years,” he mentioned. Taylor nodded, smiling patiently. “I’ve voted for Barbara Lee as properly,” he responded. However what Oakland wants proper now, he defined, is somebody with a observe document on native points.
“You’re excessive up on my checklist. You’re within the prime two, let’s say,” the person responded. “Clearly you received’t be a nasty alternative.”
It was the identical at a home down the road with a “Barbara Lee” signal within the yard. Taylor thought it might nonetheless be price a go to.
The girl who opened the door appeared genuinely excited to see Taylor: “Loren, oh my goodness!” she mentioned. She, too, listened as Taylor launched into his pitch, earlier than issuing her verdict: “Barbara is my lady … I treasure her.”
“, I love you, too, Loren,” she added. He thanked her and turned again down the driveway.
“That’s the pure default. These are the headwinds we face,” Taylor mentioned.
Nevertheless it wasn’t all rejections. One girl hollered at Taylor from throughout the road and got here operating down her driveway to speak with him, sharing that she and her husband, a firefighter, deliberate to vote for him. At one other home, a person mentioned Taylor might depend on his vote.
In some ways, the March 8 marketing campaign occasion for Lee was a nod to Taylor’s sudden energy. Tucked into the speeches lauding Lee’s accomplishments, a couple of supporter referred to as out Taylor for having the gall to go after her.
“We have to battle again towards assaults on her,” Jenkins, the interim mayor, mentioned to applause.
Lee, capping off the ceremony, caught to her unity message: “I would like us to maneuver ahead. And I would like us to maneuver ahead with loads of love and loads of dedication to this metropolis,” she mentioned. “We now have our variations of opinion. We come collectively for one cause, and that’s to make life higher for everyone, and I imply everyone.”
For many who criticize her background, her time in Washington, even her age, she isn’t bothered.
“Criticism is okay in a marketing campaign,” she informed The Instances. “However imagine me, I do know this metropolis very properly. I’ve been a resident right here. I stay right here, and I’ve delivered for this metropolis.”
