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Endorsement Cheat Sheet: Mercury News and East Bay Times Editorial Boards explain their top picks
Don't overlook those down-ballot races. From county assessor and superintendent of schools to state treasurer and insurance commissioner, we help you decide.
Nora Campos, candidate for San Jose City Council District 5, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Campos: 'I was raised in this community and have dedicated my life to serve my...
Peter Ortiz, candidate for San Jose City Council District 5, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Ortiz: 'I bring a combination of lived experience, community leadership, and a proven track record...
Hanh-Giao “HG” Nguyen, candidate for San Jose City Council District 7, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Nguyen: 'What differentiates me is that I bring lived experience, deep knowledge of City Hall,...
Rafael Garcia, candidate for San Jose City Council District 7, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Garcia: 'I am a community leader, and I know how to organize groups to work...
Bien Doan, candidate for San Jose City Council District 7, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Doan: 'I have focused on delivering results that residents can see in their neighborhoods, their...
Van Le, candidate for San Jose City Council District 7, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Le: 'As an elected official, I have focused on improving educational outcomes and expanding access...
Anthony Rendon, candidate for superintendent of public instruction, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Rendon: 'I would be strongly supportive of strict limits or even a ban on social...
Endorsement: San Jose needs a blight fighter. Elect Genny Altwer to City Council.
Altwer, a cop-turned-therapist, represents neither the status quo nor a radical break from it. But...
Josh Newman, candidate for superintendent of public instruction, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Newman: 'I've seen both the extraordinary potential of California's students and the structural barriers holding...
Richard Barrera, candidate for superintendent of public instruction, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Barrera: 'I have done the two kinds of work this job requires: local governance and...
Sonja Shaw, candidate for superintendent of public instruction, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Shaw: 'I helped turn around a struggling district by removing radical ideology, empowering parents and...
Endorsement: Elect Dana Eaton to lead Contra Costa’s schools out of financial straits
This county's next superintendent will inherit some of state's most financially strapped schools. It needs...
Endorsement: Elect Hector Camacho to lead San Mateo County’s fragmented, unequal school system
Chelsea Bonini is a smart, serious candidate, but Camacho is better positioned to solve Peninsula...
Chelsea Bonini, candidate for San Mateo County superintendent of schools, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Bonini: 'I have worked directly with school budgets and California's complex funding formulas for many...
Jag Lathan, Contra Costa County superintendent candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Lathan: 'I believe strong academic outcomes and student well-being must go hand in hand.'
Hector Camacho, candidate for San Mateo County superintendent of schools, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Camacho: 'I've spent more than 25 years working directly in education, including 17 years in...
Dana Eaton, Contra Costa County superintendent candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Eaton: 'This role should not be about politics, it should be about students.'
Endorsement: Vince Robb is only qualified candidate for Contra Costa County Assessor
Contra Costa County voters may want a clean break from 'Bad Boy Assessor' Gus Kramer's...
Vince Robb, Contra Costa County assessor candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Robb: 'As assistant county assessor I have already begun repairing the image of the office...
David Canepa, candidate for San Mateo County assessor, answers Mercury News primary questionnaire
Canepa: 'I firmly believe the management structure needs to be fixed and greater management oversight...
Nick Spinner, Contra Costa County assessor candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Spinner: 'I combine deep, inside-the-system experience with the urgency, independence and vision to improve performance...
Jim Irizarry, candidate for San Mateo County assessor, answers Mercury News primary questionnaire
Irizarry: 'I am a professional administrator with over 30 years of public sector experience and...
Kismat Kathrani, Contra Costa County assessor candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'I’m committed to best-in-class service so every taxpayer is treated with respect and responsiveness.'
Genny Altwer, candidate for San Jose City Council District 9, answers Mercury News primary questionnaire
Altwer: 'I bring a unique and diverse educational background that distinguishes me from the other...
Gordon Chester, candidate for San Jose City Council District 9, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Chester: 'We need smarter growth, cleaner transportation options and infrastructure investments that will stand the...
Mike Hennessy, candidate for San Jose City Council District 9, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Hennessy: 'I bring a perspective that is missing at City Hall — the ability to...
Scott Hughes, candidate for San Jose City Council District 9, answers the Mercury News primary questionnaire
Hughes: 'Being a chief of staff for over seven years and now for the vice...
Scott Sakakihara, state senatorial candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'Voters want someone who understands both the East Bay and Santa Clara County parts of...
Raymond Liu, state senatorial candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'As the only candidate in this race who doesn’t own a home, I approach the...
Anne Kepner, state senatorial candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'I am running for state Senate because I want California to be a place where...
David Cohen, state senatorial candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'I’m doing this to solve problems, not to be popular.'
Carmen Montano, state senatorial candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'I work in the middle to get things done, fiercely protecting our suburban middle-class dream.'
Endorsement: Contra Costa community college bond measure well thought out
Measure G, a $920 million construction plan, would increase the property tax rate in the...
Endorsement: Santa Clara Valley open space tax would be too much, too soon
Vote no on Measure D. The levy, bigger than what’s needed, would affect some of...
Rakhi Israni, East Bay congressional candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'I’ve built a business, practiced law, served on the bench, raised a family and led...
Melissa Hernandez, East Bay congressional candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'I show up and collaborate with anyone willing to work to solve problems.'
Matt Ortega, East Bay congressional candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Ortega: 'We did not arrive at this moment by accident, nor will we leave it...
Dena Maldonado, East Bay congressional candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Maldonado: 'I’m building this campaign by listening directly to residents.'
Carin Elam, East Bay congressional candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Elam: 'We need to elect good, sensible, reach-across-the-aisle leaders to address policy gridlock and dysfunction...
Tony Vazquez, California treasurer candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'If we were able to increase the investments of these large public funds in California,...
Anna Caballero, California treasurer candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'We must leverage state funds strategically to unlock federal investment and attract private capital.'
Eleni Kounalakis, California treasurer candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Ahead of the June primary election, the Bay Area News Group compiled a list of...
Aisha Wahab, East Bay congressional candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
Sen. Wahab: 'My public service has always been rooted in one question: How does this...
Oliver Ma, California lieutenant governor candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'I am fighting for a California where housing is cheap, health care is free and...
Fiona Ma, California lieutenant governor candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'The Bay Area is my home and holds a very special place in my heart.'
Patrick Wolff, California insurance commissioner candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'The reason our insurance regulation is so dysfunctional is we have been electing politicians with...
Stacy Korsgaden, California insurance commissioner candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'Sacramento’s failures on wildfire mitigation, forest management, crime and homelessness are undermining the very foundation...
Josh Fryday, California lieutenant governor candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'I'm running because I've spent my career building things to deliver for people.'
Michael Tubbs, California lieutenant governor candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
'It’s time for new leadership that can sell fresh ideas that California desperately needs.'
Gloria Romero, California lieutenant governor candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire
I'm not looking to "fail up" to become governor.
Steven Bradford, California insurance commissioner candidate, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire.
'We cannot allow entire communities, especially those in fire-prone areas, to be abandoned by the...
Endorsement: Elect Eleni Kounalakis California’s next treasurer
The challenges awaiting Fiona Ma's successor require a tested political and economic operator. That is...
In their words: Kounalakis, Caballero and Vazquez tell us why they can manage California’s $162 billion
The top three candidates to succeed termed-out Treasurer Fiona Ma make their cases to Bay...
Endorsement: Elect Ben Allen California’s next insurance commissioner
Bay Area voters must understand: When they choose termed-out Commissioner Ricardo Lara's successor, the viability...
Endorsement: Another election, another deceitful Oakland tax plan. Vote no on Measure E
After string of broken ballot promises, 'Just give us more money' is not the answer...
Endorsement: Elect Fiona Ma California’s next lieutenant governor
Success as this state's No. 2 requires understanding its levers of power. Currently treasurer, Ma...
In their words: Fiona Ma v. Josh Fryday v. Michael Tubbs v. Gloria Romero. We asked. They answered.
How would the next Lt. Gov. fix student housing, protect immigrant rights and handle the...
Endorsement: David Cohen is Santa Clara and Alameda counties’ best hope in state Senate
Lights are flashing red for Bay Area schools, hospitals and transit agencies. The San Jose...
In their words: The chemist, attorney and ex-Palantir exec fighting an expensive war to represent Silicon Valley, Alameda County in Senate
From housing, health care to AI, BART and inequality: Here's where David Cohen, Anne Kepner...
Bay Area News Group’s endorsement guide to California’s June 2 Primary
Mercury News and East Bay Times editorial boards' choices for key ballot initiatives and pivotal...
Endorsement: Elect Aisha Wahab to replace ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell in Congress
Of nine candidates vying for the former congressman's vacant seat, the East Bay state senator...
In their words: 4 candidates vying for ex-Rep. Swalwell’s seat in D.C. make the case to voters
Housing, homelessness, health care, BART, AI and beyond. Melissa Hernandez, Rakhi Israni, Dena Maldonado and...
Endorsement: Jones Dickson brings needed integrity for Alameda County DA
Sadly, recalled predecessor Pamela Price, who doesn’t know when to call it quits, is trying...
Endorsement: Don’t get fooled again with latest Contra Costa sales tax increase
Measure B, which would hike the rate over 10% in a majority of cities, is...
Endorsement: Reelect Contra Costa elections chief Kristin Connelly
Clerk-recorder has brought professional leadership in a county with a history of troubled elected department...
Opinion: We need to stop confusing diplomacy with making ‘deals’
There’s a shift in how we see pivotal world events: ‘as transactions to be struck,...
Endorsement: Contra Costa voters should renew Urban Limit Line protecting open space
Measure A would extend successful limits on environmentally insensitive sprawl development for another 25 years.
First TV debate in race for governor mostly bypassed California’s serious issues
Only brief mentions of housing shortage, water supply, utility costs, budget deficit and other pressing...
Spinetto: Look to Latin America’s oil boom for energy security
'About 44% of global crude supply growth between 2025 and 2030 (may) come from Brazil,...
California lawmakers must weigh long-term consequences before granting tribe a state park
Were this to be granted, how could the state refuse any other demand of any...
California voters will face dueling ballot propositions this fall. Confusion is likely
As many as 17 measures raising or limiting taxes may be up for a vote...
Allegation that Gavin Newsom presides over an ’empire of fraud’ doesn’t stick
The numbers don't quite add up in conservative hit piece listing California governor's budgeting transgressions.