Former Rep. Jackie Speier to run for San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
SAN MATEO COUNTY – Less than a year after retiring from Congress, former Rep. Jackie Speier announced that she would run for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 2024.
Speier said Tuesday that she is running for the District 1 seat to succeed Board of Supervisors President Dave Pine, who is termed out.
"The people of District 1 know me, and I know them. I will use the skills I've honed, the relationships I've built, and the experiences I've earned to fix problems our community confronts. I know from experience that local action can make a huge difference for us all, and I'm concerned that our quality of life in San Mateo County faces big challenges," Speier said Tuesday.
In her campaign announcement, Speier listed several priorities, including increasing childcare affordability, helping create affordable housing, protecting the environment, along with access to healthcare.
"When I announced that I was not running for re-election to Congress, I made clear that I was not done and not retiring," she went on to say. "I was simply coming home to be with my family and my constituents. I believe I have found the path where I can make the greatest contribution to those I have represented for so many years."
In response, Millbrae councilmember Gina Papan and Burlingame councilmember Emily Beach both dropped out of the race for the seat to endorse Speier.
"This was unexpected, but does not deter my commitment to the residents of Millbrae, San Mateo County, and the region. I greatly respect Congresswoman Speier's 40 years of service to our community and share her belief in the value of public service," Papan said in a statement.
Beach said, "I'm disappointed to leave the race and will miss the opportunity to serve the county. I also want to thank supporters who encouraged me to stay in the race during the last few days. Nonetheless, I know this is the right decision. I am honored to endorse former Congresswoman Speier for the position and encourage my supporters to do the same."
A longtime leader on the Peninsula, Speier entered politics in the 1970s as a staffer for Rep. Leo Ryan.
In 1978, both Speier and Ryan traveled to Guyana as part of fact-finding mission to investigate Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple cult. Ryan was assassinated and Speier was shot multiple times.
Speier told CBS News last year that surviving the ambush has defined her life and given her the strength she needed to fight.
"It's informed everything I've done. I mean, it's made me into a fighter and to not take no for an answer," she said.
Speier then served six years on the Board of Supervisors, followed by 18 years in the California State Legislature. In 2008, she won Ryan's old seat in Congress and served nearly 15 years on Capitol Hill.
District 1 covers the communities of Burlingame, Hillsborough, Millbrae, along with portions San Bruno, South San Francisco and the San Francisco International Airport.
