They may not win, but at least they’ve got heart.
Eight of the lower-ranked candidates for Oakland mayor held a press conference Tuesday in an effort to break through the soundboard and have their positions heard. At the very least, the presser made for a spirited event, generating headlines in a notoriously crowded race.
“We’re just not getting any media coverage,” candidate Pat Mcullough told the media. He was joined by seven others, including the cutest one of all: a spunky shepherd-mix named Einstein, whose candidacy was announced this summer.
The 8 longshots are among 15 individuals vying for Oakland’s next mayor. And, while they hail from completely diverse backgrounds, they all believe that Mayor Jean Quan and the other front-runners are getting too much attention. With just days to go before the election, they said it was finally time to make themselves known.
“Oakland deserves to hear from every single candidate, not just one or two or the top seven,” said candidate Jason Anderson.
Candidate Nancy Sidebotham also decried the lack of coverage. Ken Houston, meanwhile, said the more popular hopefuls are simply “standing on the platforms” of the lesser-knowns. Unfortunately, no translators were available to interpret Einstein’s remarks, but we’re pretty sure it had something to do with bacon.
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan is facing a tough re-election bid, compounded by the same ranked-choice voting system that hoisted her into the job in 2010. The other front-runners include Council Member Rebecca Kaplan; Council Member Libby Schaff; Professor Joe Tuman; and Port of Oakland Commissioner Bryan Parker.
Read more about Tuesday’s press conference here.