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| Abel Guillen |
ELECTION 2014 | OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL | Peralta Community College District Trustee Abel Guillen may add his name to the list of candidates considering a run for the Oakland City Council District 2 seat being vacated by Council President Pat Kernighan.
“I’m strongly considering the race,” said Guillen. “I’m talking to community and business leaders and most importantly my family.”
He would become the third candidate in the race and likely early frontrunner. Former newscaster Dana King announced her candidacy this week. Sokham Mao, a member of the Oakland Citizens Police Review Board, entered the race late last year.
Guillen was elected to the Peralta Community College Board of Trustee in 2006. His work on the college board may delight Oakland progressives starving for a clear voice on the City Council. More than two years ago, in the midst of Occupy Oakland, Guillen led a movement calling for the community college district to transfer its assets from big banks blamed for the Great Recession to smaller community banks and credit unions. Last week, the same board voted to divest itself of holdings in fossil fuel companies over the next five years.
A potential run for the Oakland City Council would follow a close, but unsuccessful run in 2012 for Oakland’s 18th Assembly District seat. Guillen lost to Rob Bonta by less than 1,500 votes, yet most observers believe Guillen’s political star rose significantly despite the disappointing result.
Note: a correction was made to the number of votes Bonta defeated Guillen by in 2012.
ebcitizen.com 
It's important to recognize that the abilities which made Abel the ideal candidate for AD18 actually don't suit the position of City Council seat. He was the ideal candidate for a state level position, but he is definitively not the best person for the job of representing District 2 on the City Council. Neither is Dana King. They're both just playing for second place.
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The people in District 2 voted for Abel in overwhelming numbers when he ran against Bonta for Assembly. Bonta is now supporting him! Abel wins easily—-nuf said.
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If Abel has to move into District 2 to run in District 2, how can he know the pulse of the district?
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Your paranoid assumptions stretches far from the truth because obviously, you don't know Abel Guillen! He is the opposite of you're asserting about him. He is humble, honest, smart, is knowledgeable in finance & public policy. Imagine that, a candidate that ACTUALLY has the professional skill sets that can get things done on behalf of the residents of District 2!!!
Your claim about him running against the Mayor and the Honorable Rob Bonta in the near future is a made up tail – THAT IS NOT WHAT HE IS ABOUT! He is serious about public service and put the residents first.
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I think Abel is the best choice for this position. He is familiar with the voice of the people and he has such admiration for the city of Oakland. He knows the pulse of the community and what the people need. It would be a great victory to see him win this seat.
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There's a great new addition to the District 2 ticket. Andrew Park is an Oakland Native and longtime community organizer and advocate. He has been a champion for a better Oakland and is a man of action. I've worked with him at Bella Vista and the surrounding area putting on free events for families like movies in the park, holiday festivals, and sports activities for teens.
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We love Abel In Oaktown!
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Many labeled as carpetbaggers from the North would in fact make major positive contributions in rebuilding the South. However,if you restrict your definition to only considering the carpetbaggers motivation for personal gain as paramount, many more will believe it's a tag that actually fits Guillen not King.
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Abel is the best candidate for this seat and should win. He beat Bonta in Oakland and will win easily over the carpetbagger.
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Abel has stretched to invent a record of accomplishment at Peralta, but anyone who really watches him and that board knows that he has really done NOTHING to lead the organization or make it better. He talks a good story but “there is no there there”. Oakland needs leadership, vision and the ability to make things happen. This is NOT abel!!!
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Yeah I think Abel would be the best choice, I hope there are debates. Dana King will have to convince a lot of skeptics.
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King is a carpetbagger with zero policy experience
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I think Abel is the best choice for this position. He is familiar with the voice of the people and he has such admiration for the city of Oakland. He knows the pulse of the community and what the people need. It would be a great victory to see him win this seat.
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The trouble with Abel Guillen is that he will spend the next 4 years campaigning for the Bonta Assembly seat.
Meaning everything he votes for or against will be tailored to please those who will support him in 2018.
Meaning that to read all the Oakland city employee unions.
When the next negotiation comes up, he'll be carrying water for them to get a large raise.
Quan just gave them far more than the times, and city finances indicated was proper.
In short, he will be a rubber stamp for every public employee union in Oakland.
Oakland will never get the type of pension reform that, for example, took place in San Leandro.
Quan and the city council gave away the farm in 2004, and their pathetic “pension reform” a couple years ago, was the worst I've seen. Hardly did anything to make the future finances improve.
Abel Guillen will do the same thing as Quan in that regard.
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A coronation for Dana King then? She'll do nothing for the struggling communities in D2 and just take nice pictures by the lake and farmers market. We need an advocate with some skin in the game!
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Councilmember King…Abel would be wise to avoid another loss, and he will lose. It will become very clear that King is the best fit for the District and just what Oakland needs to progress.
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Anybody but the carpetbagger!
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I'd vote for Sokhom, he's the only real voice for Oakland families and youth.
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Yes! The candidate district 2 has been waiting for!!! No tv celebrity looking for a stepping stone.
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Guillen is the best of the 3. I wonder why these newscasters who are fed their lines by teleprompter think they know how to run a city?
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I'd vote for Abel
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