Darrell Steinberg said his mind wasn’t completely made up until the early-morning hours of Oct. 21.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson had announced just a few hours earlier that he would not seek a third term, setting the stage for a wide-open race for the city’s top political post. Steinberg’s name had been floated for months as a potential candidate and his cellphone was full of messages from supporters asking him about his plans.
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Background: Mayor Kevin Johnson will not seek an unprecedented third term as the city’s mayor. Despite talk that he might seek higher office, Johnson insisted during a brief news conference in his native Oak Park neighborhood that he has no job lined up after his current term ends next November. There are a number of declared and potential candidates for the city’s top leadership spot: Randall Benton rbenton@sacbee.com
“I turned to my wife and said, ‘Our lives are going to be different,’ ” Steinberg said Tuesday.
But it wasn’t until Tuesday, in an interview with The Sacramento Bee, that Steinberg officially put to rest one of the worst-kept secrets in local politics: He is running for Sacramento mayor.
Steinberg told The Bee he is getting into the race “with a grateful heart” and that he believes “our community is on the cusp of something great.” He will publicly announce his candidacy Wednesday morning during a rally at the Mill at Broadway, a large new residential development under construction south of downtown.
“We’ve started an economic renaissance, and it’s going to be my job, if I’m fortunate enough to be elected, to not only continue that but enhance it,” Steinberg said. “I think the job of the mayor of a big city is to be the leader on high-wage job creation and economic growth.”
Steinberg will face two-term Councilwoman Angelique Ashby, who declared her candidacy Oct. 21, minutes after Johnson publicly announced his decision to depart next year.
Ashby immediately received the support of the city firefighters’ union and state Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento. On Tuesday, former Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully announced her support for Ashby, saying in an emailed statement that “Angelique has led the way on critical public safety issues including improving emergency response times, establishing Sacramento’s Police Commission, expanding critical community policing programs and protecting vital public safety funding to ensure that our police officers and firefighters can keep neighborhoods safe.”
Even before making his announcement, Steinberg had a large campaign bank account and the support of several big-name politicians in Sacramento.
He has more than $1.4 million in an account he established for a possible lieutenant governor campaign, and city elections officials have said most of the money can be transferred to a mayoral campaign account. Some of the largest donations during his final legislative session came from labor unions, trial attorneys and health care groups.
Steinberg is the first former state legislator to run for Sacramento mayor since it became a full-time position in 2002. State leaders have returned home to serve as mayors in other large California cities in recent decades, most notably former Assembly speakers Willie Brown in San Francisco and Antonio Villaraigosa in Los Angeles; and Gov. Jerry Brown in Oakland.
Supporters printed signs featuring the slogan “Run Darrell Run” last week and Councilman Steve Hansen, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty and county Supervisor Phil Serna have all endorsed his campaign. Region Business, a political advocacy group, announced its support Monday.
“Having known Darrell for 11 years and having always known that he is a fair and straightforward person, I’m excited he’s going to run for mayor and I hope he wins because if anyone can be a mayor for all of us, it’s Darrell Steinberg,” Hansen said.
On Tuesday, former Assemblyman and county Supervisor Roger Dickinson said he also is supporting Steinberg. Dickinson said he had been approached by supporters to run for mayor but ultimately decided not to.
Steinberg said he briefly considered running for mayor in 1999, when the late Mayor Joe Serna Jr. became ill. But he reconsidered and instead served a combined 14 years in the state Assembly and Senate, including as Senate president pro tem from 2008 until the end of his term in 2014.
“I’ve thought about it during various stages of my public service,” Steinberg said. “The timing is right now. It’s almost like coming home, even though I never left.”
Steinberg also served on the City Council in the 1990s and said he was the first president of the Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association in 1991. He said he had contemplated running for statewide office, but said he considers the mayor’s position “a different and vitally important post.”
“I’ve enjoyed being out (of office). I’ve had a really good year,” Steinberg said. “But it’s still in my blood. I’ve always had the energy, and I’m in good shape.”
Steinberg said he has “great regard and respect” for Ashby, who has indicated she will seek to portray herself as the fresh candidate in what will be an expensive race. Last week, Ashby told supporters Steinberg “had a time on the City Council and it was a while back, but I think Sacramento wants to move forward.”
For his part, Steinberg said “elections are not about the past, they’re about the future.”
“When I talk about experience and accomplishments, it’s about what informs the future,” he said.
Ryan Lillis: 916-321-1085, @Ryan_Lillis
I believe this would be a good change having a new mayor for Sacramento. Darrell Steinberg said “his mind wasn’t completely made up until the early-morning hours of Oct. 21” (Steinberg). He seems confident about the decision he is making for his family and the community. He said “I turned to my wife and said, ‘Our lives are going to be different” (Steinbeck). This makes me feel good that he wants to do this and cares about what his job may become.
ReplyDeleteI think that Darrell Steinberg would make a great new Mayor for Sacramento. Darrell Steinberg said that "We’ve started an economic renaissance, and it’s going to be my job, if I’m fortunate enough to be elected, to not only continue that but enhance it,” (Steinberg). I think that he would make a good Mayor because he is focused on making sure that we have a well run county. It makes me feel good knowing that someone that could be our mayor is sure of what he wants.
ReplyDeleteDarrell Steinberg would attribute great advancements to the city of Sacramento. ¨if I’m fortunate enough to be elected, to not only continue that but enhance it,” Steinberg said¨. Steinberg would make a great mayor as he would be devoted to our city. With his national political experience Darrell Steinberg will make a great mayor for our city.
ReplyDeleteEven though I am personally disappointed that Mayor Kevin Johnson isn't running for a third term I think that Steinberg will also help our city. If Steinberg is elected he will have to live up to after Johnson did so much for the city; the biggest probably being his great help saving the Kings and getting a brand new stadium built down town which will be helping the city for years to come. But it sounds like Steinberg has the right mind and wants to help the city as much as possible when he said "We’ve started an economic renaissance, and it’s going to be my job, if I’m fortunate enough to be elected, to not only continue that but enhance it,"
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Stephen because Kevin Johnson would have won if he would have ran again this year. Steinberg has to live up to the expectations that Kevin Johnson had and quite often he delivered. As long as Steinberg does not change what has been going on then he will be successful. So again I agree with you Stephen because he does want what is best for the city.
DeleteIn order for our great state to evolve and advance, we must receive and create change on our own. With stein erg running, we will be given the opportunity to create a better California for residents to live in.
ReplyDeleteDarrell Steinberg seems like he would make a great new mayor for Sacramento. He seems to have many great things planned and wants to improve many things. It seems like a great time to incorporate a new major in Sac. He stated, "We’ve started an economic renaissance, and it’s going to be my job, if I’m fortunate enough to be elected, to not only continue that but enhance it," (Darrell Sternberg)
ReplyDeleteI think that Darrell Steinberg would make a great new Mayor for Sacramento. Darrell Steinberg stated, "We’ve started an economic renaissance, and it’s going to be my job, if I’m fortunate enough to be elected, to not only continue that but enhance it,” (Lillis). I think with Steinberg’s previous political experience and his motivation for shaping the future will provide Sacramento with a great new mayoral figure. Steinberg seems very motivated. He seems to also be family oriented, considering that fact that this article brings up his wife. Steinberg seems to have good things planned for the city of Sacramento.
ReplyDeleteOlivia Lasecke period 2
Darrel Steinberg is surely worthy of being a great Mayor for the city of Sacramento. He is a leader, and shows a great amount of confidence is his abilities. He stated, "We've started an economic renaissance, and it's going to be my job, if I'm fortunate enough to be elected, to not only continue that but enhance it" (Ryan Lillis). It would be nice to hear from him the more ways he could enhance the economic renaissance. However, he is going in the right direction and I have no doubt that he could bring Sac Town to the top.
ReplyDeleteI think Darrell Steinburg will be a great mayor of Sacramento. I find it funny that both the candidates announced their running at about the same time. I thinks it is a good thing when you hear someone described as, "a fair and straightforward person" (Sacramento Bee). He has some great things planned. I think he will really make some major improvements.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Koopman, per 1
In my opinion Darrel Steinberg would be a great mayor of Sacramento. I think he's a good leader and is confident. "We've stated an economic renaissance, and it's going to be my job, if I"m fortunate enough to be eleted, to not only continue but enhance it," (Lillis). It would be cool to hear from him to enhance the economic renaissance. I think he's going in the right direction and could bring Sacramento to the top.
ReplyDeletei fell that the best leader for Sacramento would be Darrel Steinberg i find him to be a good leader and very confident "We've stated an economic renaissance, and it's going to be my job, if I"m fortunate enough to be elected, to not only continue but enhance it," (Lillis). It would be great if he could go out and meet people and help them with trying to enhance economic renaissance.
ReplyDeleteJacob Haines, per 5
I support Steinberg in running for Mayor of Sacramento. Someone needs to take the place of Kevin Johnson, and why not have it be Steinberg. He has over 1.4 million dollars, so he is prepared financially. Steinberg says, "our community is on the cusp of something great." (Darrell Steinberg) I do think he will do great things as Mayor, if he wins.
ReplyDeleteSteinberg looks to be a healthy candidate for Sacramento Mayor. He says that " it’s still in my blood. I’ve always had the energy, and I’m in good shape.”. this gives me hope because he sounds confident in his decision to run. After all of the years he still has some fight left in him for another political position in California.
ReplyDelete