Progressive race for mayor: No Daly, no candidate

SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - The field of potential progressive candidates to battle Mayor Gavin Newsom has grown even narrower after Supervisor Chris Daly said on Monday he would not make a run for the top office.

Speculation and rumors over who would be the progressive candidate to square off against Newsom this November intensified leading up to Saturday’s Progressive Convention. However, during the convention no candidate emerged and the potential candidate list has since grown shorter.

At the convention, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi said he would not run. Then on Monday morning, Daly, Newsom’s No. 1 critic on the Board of Supervisors, announced he would not run, a decision he made late Sunday night after discussing the prospect with his wife, Sarah.

“After a tough campaign last fall and expecting a new baby in late October, I plan to spend more quality time with my family this year,” Daly said in a statement issued Monday. Daly said he did not consult with other potential candidates in making his decision. “Sunday’s decision was a decision made by my wife and I.”

Daly, Mirkarimi, former Mayor Art Agnos and former Supervisor Matt Gonzalez — who lost to Newsom in 2003 — had all been talked about as potential progressive candidates.

“From the beginning, I have said that I think Matt [Gonzalez] would be the strongest progressive challenger this fall,” Daly said Monday. “Given where he’s at, given his popularity, he would have a little bit less work to do than some other candidates. So that’s perhaps why he’s considering a late entry.” Gonzalez did not return phone calls from The Examiner on Monday.

“The potential for a progressive campaign for mayor that can win in November is there. It’s just currently a campaign without a candidate,” Daly added.

Eighteen candidates have filed papers to run for mayor, all with little name recognition except for former Supervisor Tony Hall, who could siphon off some moderate-to-conservative votes from Newsom.

jsabatini@examiner.com

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