Are San Francisco politics becoming more moderate?
SAN FRANCISCO - The results are still being tallied following Super Tuesday, but some are already saying the results are showing a shift in the San Francisco electorate. The city is taking a hard look at the results to figure out where San Francisco is headed.
There have been headlines saying that progressivism is out for now, but candidates and experts say it's a lot more complicated.
With San Francisco voters approving Proposition E, granting police new powers, and Proposition F tying drug screenings to public assistance, some are questioning if the city has shifted from its most progressive policies.
Mayor London Breed, who backed both measures, says their passage does not indicate that the city is straying from its progressive principles in its push for safety.
"San Francisco continues to push forward our values in extraordinary ways, and we have not abandoned those," said Breed. "But, we also need accountability."
Supervisor Ahsha Safai, who is running for mayor, says the results show a city hungry for change.
"Voters want change, they want to see new leadership around all the different issues San Francisco is facing," said Safai. "People are concerned about public safety, rightfully so. People are worried about the crisis on the streets, mental health, drug abuse."
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San Francisco voters had several ballot measures to decide in the primary vote on March 5, including propositions to expand police powers and another that would screen people for drug use if they want to receive cash assistance from the city.
Mark Farrell, the most recent candidate to jump into the mayor's race, also sees voters looking for change.
"Look, San Francisco needs to change direction," said Farrell. "The last six years have literally seen our city crumble, and we need to do an about-face in the city, incredible momentum last night."
Daniel Lurie, also running for mayor, says the policies voters approved reflect a more nuanced snapshot of the city's electorate than simply looking at it as progressive or moderate.
"The electorate, the citizens, of San Francisco are absolutely, absolutely looking for change from the outside," said Lurie. "That's what we saw yesterday, and that's what we're going to get in November."
San Francisco State University political science professor Jason McDaniel said looking at the election results to gauge if voters have fundamentally shifted their positions is too simplistic. He said the results need to be looked at in context.
"I wouldn't say progressivism is out, but the electorate has certainly rejected some of the policies that progressive organizations and leaders have put forward," said McDaniel.
GrowSF pushed for a lot of the ballot measures that won last night. That organization said being a progressive city and a well-policed city aren't at odds.
But, the ACLU of Northern California said the measures that passed weakened oversight and undermined reforms that were put in place to protect the public.