OAKLAND, California — Former Rep. Barbara Lee will be Oakland’s next mayor, taking over a city she represented for decades at a time of deep political turmoil and economic uncertainty.
Lee’s principal opponent, former Oakland City Council Member Loren Taylor, conceded Saturday morning after a Friday evening vote update erased what had been a narrow lead.
Tuesday’s special election was triggered by the November recall of former Mayor Sheng Thao over crime concerns and other frustrations that led voters to recall their district attorney on the same day. Thao, who had been elected just two years earlier, faced an FBI investigation and was later indicted on bribery challenges.
Lee takes the helm as the city faces both a short-term budget deficit and a long-term financial imbalance that will likely require painful cuts.
When the progressive icon entered the race in January, her victory looked clear as she racked up endorsements from unions, business leaders, former mayors and players on both sides of the mayoral recall campaign.
But the race tightened as Taylor leaned into an outsider’s message. Taylor, a moderate former council member, argued Lee’s establishment support showed she would perpetuate the city’s problems. He outraised Lee with the support of wealthy donors who had also waded into the recalls.
Those dynamics reflected a broader moment in Bay Area politics as a new generation of candidates — often buoyed by deep-pocketed donors — has challenged progressive governance, channeling voter discontent with homelessness and property crime.
Yet Lee’s win demonstrated how formidable her advantages were. In addition to sweeping name recognition and a bevy of endorsements, she could look to an organized labor machine with deep experience turning out votes for union-aligned progressives.
Rep. Lateefah Simon, Lee’s protégé who succeeded her in Congress, said she believed Lee’s victory indicated Oakland voters were drawn to her unity message even as the city struggles with profound problems.
“At the end of the day, we’re Democrats,” Simon said. “Sure, our cities are facing extreme challenges, but we all want the same things: safe streets, good schools, health care that works.”