Oakland mayor recall supporters target Barbara Lee in ad as election nears
As Oakland's special mayoral election approaches, campaign rhetoric is intensifying with about 30 days to go before the April 15 vote.
Early voting begins on Monday, and organizers behind the successful recall of Mayor Sheng Thao are now targeting Barbara Lee, who is widely seen as a front-runner in the race.
In a new 52-second ad released on social media Thursday, Brenda Harbin-Forte, a leader of the recall effort, delivers a strong message against Lee.
"Oakland is in a fight for its life. 87,000 of us who recalled Sheng Thao don't need Barbara Lee coming in with the same failed policies. Barbara Lee does not speak for me," Harbin-Forte said in the ad.
Duane Tatum, a volunteer who spent countless hours last year working on the recall campaign, also appears in the ad, urging voters to reject Lee.
"Barbara Lee has no city government experience. She does not speak for me," Tatum states.
"We love and respect her. But the problems that Oakland faces today, we think they're just a little bit too complex for Barbara Lee to be able to come in and really make an effective change," Tatum expressed in an interview with CBS News Bay Area.
Tatum also reminded voters that Lee, back in November, urged people to reject the recall of Mayor Thao and noted that many labor unions who had previously supported Thao are now backing Lee.
"I believe it would be a repeat of Sheng Thao's policies. These are both very left-leaning, progressive politicians," said Tatum.
Recall organizers, including Harbin-Forte, argue that Lee lacks the right policies to tackle Oakland's pressing issues, especially public safety.
"We're going to be in the same condition that we would've been in had we not recalled Sheng Thao. And I did not recall Sheng Thao to have Sheng Thao 2.0," Harbin-Forte said.
However, Lee's supporters are pushing back against these comparisons, emphasizing her experience and ability to unite the city.
"The town is hurting, not just in terms of our finances, but how we see ourselves and how we come together. We've come through two very divisive election cycles, and I believe that she's a unifying candidate who can bring solutions to the table," said Dr. Lynette Gibson McElhaney, a former Oakland councilwoman and vocal Lee supporter.
"Oakland is a leader in this region and we need someone who can sit at the table on transportation, climate change, and certainly join the legion of strong leaders across the state to push back against the federal dissolutions that we see," added Gibson McElhaney, who claims many moderate Democrats, business owners, and people from various backgrounds are backing Lee.
Lee's campaign also released a 30-second social media ad this week, focusing on her experience representing Oakland on the federal level.
"As mayor, I promise to bring integrity back to the city and find solutions to get the job done. I'm Barbara Lee and I'm always ready to fight for Oakland," Lee said in the ad.
Business owner Derreck Johnson, who supported the recall of Thao, has endorsed Lee. He said many people who voted to oust Thao also support Lee.
"I'm supporting the congresswoman because I feel she's the best candidate right now for what we need because we need somebody that can restore respectability back to that seat after it's been so damaged, respectability back to our city. And I feel she's the only candidate in this race right now that can do that," said Johnson, owner of Home of Chicken and Waffles.
Tatum, however, disagrees, asserting that Oakland doesn't have a unity problem but rather a crime problem. He plans to vote for Loren Taylor next month.
"I love my city, and I know that with smart, small steps, we can slowly get there," Tatum said.
As the campaign heats up, the elections office is preparing to mail out ballots on Monday. Oakland voters should receive their ballots sometime next week.
