SENATOR EXPLORED RUN FOR ALAMEDA COUNTY SUPERVISOR WITH URGING OF SUPPORTERS
By STEVEN TAVARES
The Citizen
LEGISLATUREState Sen. Ellen Corbett ended weeks of speculation regarding her political future by announcing Wednesday she will run for re-election in June.
In a telephone message late Wednesday, Corbett said she had explored a possible campaign to replace departing Alameda County Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker, but reconsidered to continue representing the tenth district.
“After careful consideration, I decided, of course, I would like to continue my work as a state senator,” said Corbett. The former San Leandro mayor and assemblywoman says she enjoys her work a senator in Sacramento and puts saving San Leandro Hospital as her top priority this year.
Corbett said many of her supporters encouraged her to run for supervisor and out of respect of their wishes, she attended meetings on behalf of political groups, including endorsement interviews with the Central Labor Council.
Corbett’s brief flirtation with moving from the capitol to closer to home in Oakland started slowly two months ago after the suddenly decision by Lai-Bitker to not seek re-election. The subsequent news allowed for a slew of candidates to be quickly thrown onto the slate. Former Supervisor Wilma Chan, former San Leandro Mayor Shelia Young and Alameda Mayor Beverley Johnson quickly rose to the top of possible candidates. Whispers quickly began to include the name of the first-term state senator, but while most local politicos thought it might be possible, most dismissed the rumors as a sideshow to Corbett’s believed intention to move to a statewide office somewhere down the line.
As Lai-Bitker enthusiastically endorsed Alameda City Councilwoman Lena Tam over Chan and possibly fracturing the all-important Chinatown voters in the north of District 3, the Corbett rumors once again heated up. Numerous local politicians told The Citizen, Corbett had a more than cursory interest in the supervisor’s seat. Several sources then told The Citizen this last Monday Corbett had ended his her look at board of supervisors and would return to her work in the senate.
According to the Alameda County Registrar Office, Corbett’s declaration of her candidacy was filed Wednesday. The deadline for candidates to file for the June primary is Friday, Mar. 12. At this moment, Corbett is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination. A rematch of her previous senate race could occur in November with Republican Lou Filipovich, whom she handily defeated. Robert Blake Maffit and Jeffrey Wald are also likely opponents for the Republican nomination.
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Oh great, 4 more years of the biggest waste of oxygen in Sacramento. How much more damage can this sow to do California?
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Good news so I guess the field for Supe 2 and Supe 3 is now almost set. Beverly Johnson, unappealing Mayor from Alameda, Wilma Chan, who is running to either fix the mess she created or apologize for her actions as a legislator, but who also neglected San leandro when she was the Supervisor…..I know what you are saying…She is endorsed by LABOR….how surprising and contradictory is that…LABOR that is suppopsed to fight for working families is endorsing a woman that feels entitled to this position and understands HARD WORK as being that to order a staffer to pick her up a double latte with extra whip…then Lena Tam…unkown but supported by the Current Supervisor. Ellen would have made a nice Senator especially with this field….If you want to know about Beverly, she is supported by Perata…and Tiger Swanson, or is it Sandre Woods…..Chan is supported by anyone's arm she can twist and Lena has chinatown….what a race to watch, Then there is District 2 Supe…Kevin Dowling, the most deserving candidate, paid his dues and then gets screwed. Liz the throwback Figueroa and Nadia Lockyer, who married Bill Lockyer…..hmmmmm….wonder why!
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