Posted on Sunday, November 9, 2006

McLaughlin Wins Mayor's Race

RICHMOND: Councilwoman edges out incumbent with a low-budget campaign that eschews corporate donors

CONTRA COSTA TIMES
By John Geluardi

City Councilwoman Gayle McLaughlin was voted into the job of Richmond mayor by a razor-thin margin Tuesday, making her the Bay Area's highest-profile elected Green Party member. "I'm really, really excited and honored to move into this new role," she said Wednesday. "This win has not been about me. This has been about a shared vision that involves the entire Richmond community."

McLaughlin joins 52 Green Party members who have been elected to local councils and school boards in the state. But as mayor of the second-largest city in Contra Costa County, her victory takes on a special significance. McLaughlin downplayed her Green Party membership, saying it makes little difference in local politics. The Richmond mayoral race is nonpartisan. "Green Party values of social justice, ecological wisdom and environmental justice resonate with me as they probably do with people in other political parties," she said. "But I think Richmond should avoid partisan politics and move forward in a unified manner."

During the campaign, McLaughlin refused to accept corporate contributions and spent less than $28,000. By contrast, incumbent Mayor Irma Anderson spent more than $105,000.

McLaughlin won the election by a mere 192 votes, with about 4,000 absentee and 472 provisional ballots still to be counted countywide.

Jay Leonhardy, Anderson's chief of staff, said the mayor will have no comment on the vote until all the ballots are counted and the election has been certified, which is expected next week. A former public nurse who was elected to the council in 1993, Anderson was never able to get a healthy lead in the polls despite spending a great deal of money on campaign mailers, signs and consultants.

Anderson, the wife of former Mayor and Councilman Booker T Anderson, has deep roots in the black community. She was also supported by Chevron and the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. She won kudos for leading the council as the city reconstructed itself after a devastating $35 million budget deficit in 2004. But she could not shake the negative perception of being mayor during the years leading up to the crisis.

Her fellow council members were also growing discontented with her leadership. She was increasingly criticized for taking too much credit for accomplishments of the council and city staff.

Former Councilman Gary Bell ran an aggressive campaign for mayor, but despite polls he commissioned that showed him in the lead, he finished Tuesday with only 26 percent of the vote. He blamed his loss on negative campaign mailers and bad press. "Obviously the people wanted change in Richmond, and that's what they got," he said. "I guess I couldn't overcome the negative campaign fliers to get a fighting chance. After seeing those fliers, you'd think I was a criminal. I was afraid to vote for myself."

Bell lost his seat on the council in 2004 amid voter dissatisfaction after the budget crisis.

Reach John Geluardi at 510-262-2787 or jgeluardi@cctimes.com