Democratic presidential candidates spent the holidays courting voters in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire with the first primary looming about a month away on Feb. 3.
For local candidates, it was equally busy. The quartet running to replace retiring Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty will have their big day March 3, about two months out.
The field includes State Sen. Bob Wieckowski, Dublin Mayor David Haubert, Dublin Vice Mayor Melissa Hernandez and Fremont Councilman Vinnie Bacon. If one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, they will be elected—otherwise the top two will face off in the November general election.
It shapes up to be an interesting race with Bacon and Wieckowski boasting strong Fremont roots, while Haubert and Hernandez are certainly known in Dublin. The district includes Dublin and Livermore in the valley—Pleasanton is in Nate Miley’s district.
The primary also will be interesting to see what plays out for state Senate. Sen. Steve Glazer, who represents most of the Tri-Valley. He failed to win the party’s endorsement in his re-election bid last fall.
He’s drawn a progressive opponent from the left, Marisol Rubio, who likely will have plenty of support from labor unions. For the record, Rubio also didn’t win the endorsement.
Glazer based his successful election campaign on opposition to BART union strikes, a position that commuters welcomed and unions detested. Glazer worked across the aisle with former Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, holding a number of listening events with her.
Baker was defeated in 2018 by Rebecca Bauer-Kahn because of a strong Democrat turnout in the off-year election. Bauer-Kahn being challenged by Republican Joseph Rubay so both will go through to the general election.
Given the likely heavy turnout from Democrats for the California primary March 3 that will be headed by the presidential race, it will be interesting to see if Rubio can get within shouting distance of Glazer. The top two finishers face off in the Nov. 3 general election. Republican Julie Mobley is the third person in the race.
The bulk of the district, 68 percent, is in Contra Costa County and Democrats enjoy a 43-23 percent registration margin with 28 percent at decline to state.
