Reliable Source: Matt Gonzalez Plans to Run For Mayor

San Francisco
January 8, 2007

Luke Thomas at Fog City Journal reports today:

"Matt Gonzalez said to have said…

… he's going to run for Mayor! You heard it here first (unofficially of course).

The million dollar question remains, for now, unanswered: When will Gonzalez announce?

According to an elected confidant and fellow political missionary, Gonzalez should declare now to begin the fundraising effort."

Luke Thomas, asked about the source of his information, stated that the confident was a government official and reliable. Thomas said that he was present at a recent Green Party convocation in San Francisco at which Ralph Nader declared that he would not be surprised that Matt Gonzalez would one day be governor of California.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/12/29/18341957.php

In 2003, Matt Gonzalez narrowly lost to the incumbent mayor Gavin Newsom, who outspent Gonzalez almost 10 to 1. Gonzalez won a majority of votes cast at polling booths on election day, and Newsom's win relied on absentee ballots. Charges of vote tampering were largely swept under the rug because election officials, the mainstream media and downtown business interests were anxious to declare earlier gross city election malfeasances to have been overcome.

Key to Newsom's win was gaining the endorsement of Angela Alioto who wanted to be "vice-mayor" after a visit from influential Democratic Party officials convinced her to abandon any ideas of supporting Gonazalez in the run-off race of 2003. Ultimately, though, Alioto was appointed "Homeless Czar" and her relative Michela Alioto-Pier was given the nod to be Supervisor of District 2.

Robert Morse who reported Newsom's inauguration as akin to a coronation for the city's elites (and not for the people) soon found himself moved from writing his popular column on the Chronicle's Page 2-- and soon left the Chronicle under a "mutual agreement."

Gavin Newsom won brief acclaim for attempting to legalize Gay marriage in San Francisco (which Gonzalez had earlier advocated for)-- to later lose his popular momentum when the legality of the marriages was struck down by State courts. The Democratic Party itself lost interest in "grooming him" for higher office as it tried to reach out for the political center nationally in 2004-- endorsing John Kerry for president. Since, Newsom has tried to make incremental improvements in San Francisco while appeasing his powerful benefactors. His legacy beyond his quest to legalize gay marriage has been a mixed success thus far: He has reduced the number of homicides in the city (by a handful), and endorsed Unite Here! Local 2 Hotel Strikers to negotiate a contract with a consortium of downtown hotels. He has pressed for a contract with Earthlink and Google to bring wi-fi internet access to the city.

Matt Gonzalez surprised the city by not seeking re-election to the Board of Supervisors. There was much speculation that his reason for doing so was tactical-- he wished to regroup his base knowing that powerful interests opposed to him would relentlessly target him by labeling him an ineffective gadfly-- much as they are now trying to do to District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly (one of the city's most effective and responsible Supervisors).

A Matt Gonzalez run for mayor in 2007 is apt to be greeted with widespread approval. He has many devoted friends and supporters in all parties. He carries no weight, save the weight of an unimpeachable reputation.

For source and recent photo of Matt go to Fog City Journal: