1. Ro Khanna – To focus of Khanna initial fundraising splash of over $1.2 million in just a month does a disservice to potentially a once-in-a-generation political mind in the East Bay. The former Obama commerce department official has the connections to the beltway, Silicon Valley interests and the future of manufacturing in the U.S. His book, Entrepreneurial Nation, is a poignant and understandable blueprint for the future strength of industry in America within a cloud of worry over the rise of China. The question is the East Bay ready or deserving of a philosopher king-type of leader in Congress or not. No matter where Khanna lands in the Bay Area, it is clear he represents the future of this region.
2. Mark Salinas – Earlier this year, some thought Salinas was in line to replace Nadia Lockyer on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Some say Salinas ultimately chickened out from running for the spot against Richard Valle, but he wasn’t ready, anyways, and may be a candidate for mayor in 2014. Undoubtedly, Salinas connects masterfully with young voters and may utilize social media better than any public official in the entire East Bay. His public comments defending young Latinos in Hayward against the possibility of gang injunctions was inspiring, but his wishy-washy relationship with labor needs to improve before his political career can really take off.
3. Rebecca Saltzman – Her election to the BART Board of Directors last November represents a clear and, hopefully, replicated map to public service for aspiring political officials to follow. The former Oakland blogger and Young Democrat has long been a reliable voice among Oakland’s next generation and she is now ready to enter the political fray. The general consensus places Saltzman on a linear path to greater things past overseeing the Bay Area’s aging rapid transit and it will be accomplished through learning the ropes at every step of government. Others should take notice before jumping ahead of line before they pay their dues. We’re talking to you, Joel Young.
4. Chris Pareja – In his first run for office, Pareja took a different path than Saltzman and quickly aimed at Congress and won an astonishing 21 percent of the vote on primary day, but we’re talking about the graveyard of political thought, better known as the Alameda County Republican Party. The newly-minted Republican, however, can now be viewed as the face of the region’s conservative aspirations, and despite the general lack of an organized GOP in Alameda County, the group can now hang its hat on a leader who is not a crack pot or deranged 80-year-old white man, but a multi-cultural candidate who talks the conservative talk without scaring the living crap out of liberals.
5. Corina Lopez – Voters tend not to make mistakes at the ballot box, but they did in 2010 when San Leandro voters passed over Corina Lopez for the City Council in favor of Pauline Cutter. Deserving or not, the city got a reprieve this year with Lopez’s election to the school board and gained a much-needed advocate for the city’s growing Latino population. Born in the Central Valley to immigrant parent, Lopez attended Princeton and started her own local business. Here’s the rub: she never highlights her biography for her own gain. Hopefully, her humility leads her to the City Council and beyond.
806 Sound like a wanna be lawyer & champaign manager along with wanna celebrity & politician husband. Loosers!
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1216 Sounds like a political consultant. Not going to work Charlie. She's still the “every ready bunny.” Keeps running for everything and anything. New on school board and already arriving late and calling in. Couldn't lead her HOA it no longer exists and hasn't for some time.
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Both Pauline and Corina are talented and dedicated individuals with San Leandro's best interests at heart. For us the voters, it was a no-lose situation. Pauline won the absentee vote, but Corina connected with the city enough to actually earn more votes on election day. They are both thoughtful and inquisitive representatives who take their responsibilities seriously.
This election, when every incumbent school board member who could thought the best way to pass a parcel tax was to challenge incumbent city councilmembers, Corina took on a thankless job that noone else wanted.
Those who don't know can belittle her accomplishments, but in the private sector talent and ability count, so after concluding her days as a Princeton scholar-athlete (national champion rugby player), she moved on to the New York financial scene where international clients were grateful for her advice and management of portfolios which dwarfed the size of the city and school district budgets combined.
The IT Consulting Firm that she and her husband built still boasts an international clientelle, and she had the good taste to move from Marin to San Leandro.
Keep watching with an open mind, and eventually you'll be as impressed as I am.
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Even Later Rumor: Marga, still smarting from 20 point loss, is practicing prevarications in preparation for the rebirth of San Leandro Rumours in 2 years to assist the only declared District 1 candidate, her husband.
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Not Almost sounds like grew up in Argentina, it is her wrote @947 and prior postings about Lopez.
We all know she's evil and also a big fat shit starter!
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That “latest rumor” is stupid. Almost sounds like something created by the only Argentinian in the world who think Lionel Messi sucks.
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Latest rumor; Lopez eyeing red headed mayor, needs money for up coming city council race. Following Mack-Rose footsteps. Sorry Charlie, but she really is dumb. Maybe she is the “ever ready bunny ” lol lol lol.
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Prola is the dumbest councilmember ever in SL! lol
Smartest thing about him is his access to union money. That's why he gets endorsements.
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9:08pm, Article stated Lopez “attended” Princeton didn't mention she graduated. Not graduating? Now that's dumb. Not a cutter supporter, but know Lopez, she lives near me. Lopez really lacks leadership and it shows. She is dumb!
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Cutter = dumbest, dumber and dumb period.
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Most postings against Lopez are by Cutter and her people. Cutter is the dumbest councilmember ever in SL!
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Is Lopez married? When I see her out and about she appears to be alone.
Sure she'll say teachers need more money, the parcel tax passed. She'll take credit for that too. Just remember she had NOTHING to do with the parcel tax or any of the bond measures that have passed.
She never cared or did anything to help the schools. She has no children and is using the school board seat as her political stepping stone. She tried to run against Cutter and lost her fanny. No wonder her neighbors don't like her.
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500pm you are the winner of the year?
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Lopez+Saltzman+Pareja+Salinas+Khana = Losers period.
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Lopez is telling people that the teachers salaries should be increased even of the district goes broke. Sounds like good financial planning. Great run the district like you ran the HOA and both of your campaigns.
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Agree with the comments about Lopez. If she is an example of the “top 5 up and coming politian” we are in big trouble. Always been a no show or arrives late, leaves early. Lacked leadership as hoa president, ran hoa assoc into the ground. Always fighting and putting tasks off on others.
Never has trouble taking credit for others ideas.
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Saltzman is a loser too a she was also for the power plant coming in Hayward. These are all loser hypocritical windsock politicians. So much for justice in environment.
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lopez jumped in at the last minute,very last minute to the school board “race” ( its not a race if you don't have a opponent) that way she was sure to get in and not be beaten like a old rag that way Cutter did 2 years ago!
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Well said 12:35 I agree.
Lopez used her role as President of our “former” HOA just to try to get herself elected and it shows. She never did anything for this area. She reminds many of us of the Every Ready Bunny, always running hoping to get herself elected to something/anything.
Lots of neighbors in our area not happy with her lack of leadership and for taking credit for many things she did nothing about.
Wonder if she's ever a no show at the business she and her husband own? Good luck school district.
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My criteria for “up and comers” would be someone who recently won an election for the first time, moved to a higher office, or lost but showed they could easily win next time around. Based on that …
Khanna – SORT OF – That's a lot of cash that could get him elected somewhere. He first needs to figure out what that office will be.
Salinas – SORT OF – I'll give him props for getting on the Hayward CC. Saying he might have ran for BOS but 'chickened out' shouldn't earn him any points.
Saltzman – YES – She won a tough race for an important position.
Pareja – NO – You basically said he's not electable in Alameda county. You were right.
Lopez – NO – She ran unopposed. I don't like people that run for one office and then switch to another. It indicates they're doing it not from the heart, but just to be a politician in some elected office.
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Lopez never showed up to a meeting that she agreed to come. The postings are right these are all losers.
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Lopez's lack of leadership as HOA President brought an end to the HOA Assoc. At candidate nights, interviews and in her literature Lopez failed to mentioned the Assoc no longer exists and that it hasn't for sometime. She still claims to be President rather than past-President.
I too am angry for her comments about Semper Verda Park. Using newspaper interviews to try to take credit for something she had nothing to do with, just to try to win votes. Lopez's lacks leadership. If you lie about little things, then you'll lie about important things.
Hope she's not getting paid by school district if she's not showing up at meetings and phoning in for training. Suggest she get rid of that cell phone.
It's about working for what is best for students, not gaining or abusing a title for ones big ego. Haven't ever seen her at school. Just another Johnny come lately.
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Salinas is a big time looser and wishy washy operator of his breakfast club. Does he know that mpst people say that his food is crappy and most gets tossed by the kids. We need to see where the money is going on that breakfast operation thingy.
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Also Lopez was unopposed/ Nothing there convinces me either that she is a winner.
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All these people are losers. Even if they win a seat they still don't know what to do.
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Khanna couldn't get elected in San Mateo County, Alameda County, or Santa Clara County. He can continue to shop around, but it always will be with the same results. Loser!
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Not suprised to read Corina Lopez late and a no show as new school board member. She's NEVER been or done anything for schools. Why now?
When she WAS our Homeowners Assoc President, Ms. Lopez tried to take credit for Semper Verda Park. When it was our past HOA President, his wife and many other HOA boardmember along with Mayor Dave Karp and the city all working togehter to make the major improvements.
Semper Verda park has ALWAYS been well cared for and cleaned by city workers. I live near the park and see it every day. Grass is always mowed and always green, but Ms. Lopez lied about this too!
City informed us years ago about the graffiti hotline, Lopez should have done her homework.
Lopez only on the school board because she ran unopposed. Many homeowners in our area did not vote for Lopez when she ran against Cutter because of her lies and poor leadership as HOA President.
Willing to bet she's only on school board cause she has future plans to run for city council. Another political wanabe.
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One more thing. While Chris is a nice approachable guy, he is a Tea Partier through and through. The thought of having him in office does scare the living crap out of at least this liberal.
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Steven,
Re: 3:32. If that's your criteria then Pareja shouldn't be on the list at all. He ran in 2010 as a Tea Partier and couldn't even win the Republican nomination (when there was such a thing).
His 'strong' showing of 21% this June is about the same as the number of Republicans in the district. Remember he was the only one on the ballot without a 'D' in front of his name.
He would only have potential running for a much lower office. Facing Corbett, Khanna and/or Swalwell in 2014 will find him a Republican in a largely Democratic district trailing heavily in terms of fundraising. He'll have nothing but one more protest campaign under his belt.
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By the way, the order of this list is predicated on which of the five is closest to “making it.” Khanna could be on the cusp of Congress and Lopez is still at the school board level. And watch who you call, “looser.”
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You pay your dues to by going to the meetings, make connections with a large number of people and understanding how government works. Saltzman got involved with the Young Dems, now she'll be learning governance at BART. Hopefully she'll take that experience and move on to the City Council and who knows. You don't just jump from bank teller to bank president like some of these people. We're all better off if officials come up through a farm system, I think.
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251 Who told you, your husband MK?
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Corina ???? Late for her first meeting , phone in for her training meeting!!! how many more will she miss??? whats the under/over? will she attend the committee meetings?
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Pareja an up & comer to what exactly? Republicans are an endangered species in California and even more so in Alameda County. Maybe that's why his tv show isn't even based in Alameda County. He has no political future.
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pareja a t party nut job
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“Paying your dues” doing what? Going to Democratic Party meetings?
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Losers.
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Looser list of do nothings
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4 losers or non-candidates, and Saltzman… Why is she buried in the middle again?
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Nice list Steve- Khanna needs to go back to Commerce Deot job.
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