Well, that's two pretty big endorsements in only a few days. Now, I'm not sure former Senator Kuehl will make quite the splash that the Bill Clinton endorsement did, but for progressives, Sen. Kuehl is an important leader. An out lesbian, Kuehl has been a progressive stalwart throughout her legislative career. Her record was most strong on health care. While she was in the Senate, she carried SB 840, the single payer plan for California, and even got it passed once, before it was vetoed.
"In Gavin Newsom, I see a leader who has taken courageous stands to protect the rights of all Californians, regardless of sexual orientation," said Kuehl. "And Gavin's success in providing access to health care for all San Franciscans is the kind of leadership we need to see in Sacramento if we're to achieve universal health care in California."
Now, Mayor Newsom will still need to work on the fundraising front to actually be competitive. But if he is willing to discuss some of the issues important to progressives, his campaign could pick up a little more grassroots energy.
On the flip side, SEIU Local 1021 paid a not so friendly visit to Room 200 of SF's regal City Hall to complain about pay disparity for jobs that are heavily minority and female.
SEIU Local 1021 paid a visit to Mayor Gavin Newsom at his City Hall office yesterday, but his doors remained closed and locked. It won't be the last time Newsom will hear from them, however. The union is launching an aggressive campaign to "dog the mayor," organizer Robert Halaand told the Guardian, to pressure him to uphold the city's commitment to comparable worth. (SF Bay Guardian)
