Recently, San Francisco has rejected progressive Democrats in favor of moderate Democrats. What do you make of this?

San Francisco is often seen as a bastion of liberalism, and is especially criticized by conservatives for being "far-left." In the 2020 Democratic primaries for president, Bernie Sanders won San Francisco, which contributed to his overall win in California.

However, over the past few years, voters in SF have become increasingly active in rejecting progressives at the ballot box in favor of moderate Democrats and initiatives. A big driver in this shift is the Asian-American population, which in SF, largely correlates to moderate Democrats as opposed to progressives.

For instance, the city recalled progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin in 2022, citing dissatisfaction with his approach to criminal justice reform, which was seen as too lenient. Perceived leniency on crime and his handling of cases involving anti-Asian violence were key factors that mobilized Asian American voters against him. This community-driven effort to prioritize public safety and more moderate policies underscores the broader trend of San Francisco's political landscape moving away from progressive ideals in favor of more centrist approaches.

San Francisco's shift rightward is illustrated by significant political events involving the city's Asian American community. One notable example is the recall of three progressive members of the San Francisco Board of Education in 2022. Many Asian American voters played a crucial role in this recall, driven by dissatisfaction with the board's focus on performative virtue signaling over reopening schools in the wake of COVID and addressing academic performance.

For example, the board decided rename 44 public schools that were named after historical figures, including Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Senator Dianne Feinstein, names the board said were associated with "oppression." The board also voted to change the admissions policy at Lowell High School, a prestigious school known for its merit-based admissions. They shifted to a lottery system intended to promote diversity. The board also voted to cover up a historic mural at George Washington High School that depicted scenes from the life of George Washington, including images of slavery and Native Americans. Collectively, these led to significant dissatisfaction, particularly among Asian-American voters, resulting in the 2022 recall of three board members.

London Breed, the current mayor of SF, is widely viewed as a moderate Democrat who defeated progressives in the mayoral race. She is so moderate/conservative for a Democrat that she endorsed Mike Bloomberg in the 2020 Democratic Primaries. She backed the recall of Chesa Boudin and the three Board of Education members. She also fully supports the June 2024 Supreme Court decision that will allow localities like SF to sweep homeless tents even if shelters don't necessarily have room for homeless people.

In the March 2024 San Francisco primaries, several propositions passed that reflect a more moderate stance, focusing on public safety, governance, and policy adjustments. Here are the key measures that were approved by voters:

Proposition E: This measure allows the San Francisco Police Department to use drones, install security cameras on public property, and pursue suspects more actively, thereby enhancing law enforcement capabilities and reducing bureaucratic hurdles.

Proposition F: This proposition requires some welfare recipients suspected of being addicted to illegal drugs to undergo screening and obtain treatment as a condition for receiving benefits. It reflects a move towards stricter welfare policies with an emphasis on addressing drug addiction through mandatory treatment​.

Proposition G: A nonbinding policy statement urging San Francisco public schools to offer Algebra 1 to students by the eighth grade. While not a mandate, this measure signals a push for higher academic standards and early STEM education​. Progressives opposed this because they argue it exacerbates the achievement gap between blacks/hispanics and whites/east&south asians.

The city also passed minimum staffing for the police department, showing a pro-police stance.

Additionally, the results saw moderate candidates achieving significant victories. In the March 2024 SF primaries, the moderate, pro-business Democratic slate known as "Democrats for Change" ran a significant and successful campaign. Affiliated with this slate was Supervisor Catherine Stefani, known for her moderate stance and focus on public safety, housing development, and improving schools. She led her primary race for the State Assembly with 57% of the vote.

Other key candidates on the Democrats for Change slate included Supervisors Matt Dorsey, former Supervisor Michaela Alioto-Pier, small business advocate Marjan Philhour, and prosecutor Nancy Tung. The moderate slate achieved a dominant presence on the local Democratic County Central Committee, winning 21 out of the 24 seats​. Many of these Democrats are reminiscent of the 1990s "Third Way" aka Bill Clinton-style "New Democrats" who were "tough on crime."

Similarly, in the State Senate race, incumbent Scott Wiener, a moderate Democrat, secured a commanding 72.9% of the vote​. Adam Schiff won the vast majority of precincts in SF in the CA Senate race over progressives Barbara Lee & Katie Porter. He's widely seen as establishment Democrat.

Anecdotally, most people I know personally in SF are not Bernie Sanders or AOC type "squad progressives." Many make $100-200k+ (and often more) working in tech or finance. They want to clamp down on homelessness and homeless tents, open air hard drug use, safe injection sites, dirtiness, petty crime (including window smashing of cars), retail theft, and violent crime. They are socially liberal, but not down with "anti-racism" or achieving "equity." Many don't view "gentrification" as an inherently bad thing and want to do that to areas like the Tenderloin and SOMA. 99% of the people I personally know also oppose race based affirmative action (many are East or South Asians who were negatively affected by it).

However, none of these people nationally or even statewide would support a Republican. Especially with the GOP becoming the MAGA cult and Mitt Romney types being marginalized. Many of them think Joe Biden is doing a great job actually being president. And if there's a replacement, they wouldn't want it to be a progressive, but a more moderate or establishment Democrat. Republicans have virtually no electoral chance in SF - only 7% of registered voters are Republicans.

What do you make of this?

O'Malley was DLC Third Way for a long time

...until recently. Now he wants to reinstate Glass-Steagall, oppose the TPP, have a $15 minimum wage, and a public option for healthcare. He has detailed plans for criminal justice reform and environmentalism. At the moment, he's slightly to the left of Hillary, but he's not been consistent in his progressive views, and he had to "update" his positions for the election.

My preferences go down like this

1.) Bernie Sanders BY FAR
2.) Martin O'Malley
3.) Hillary Clinton
4.) Joe Biden
5.) Lincoln Chafee
6.) Jim Webb

Mario Savio on the operation of the machine