Alameda County proved a weak link for Susan
Bonilla’s state senate campaign.

STATE SENATE | 7TH DISTRICT | Following Democrat Steve Glazer’s surprisingly strong electoral performance two weeks ago in the 7th State Senate District primary, the party’s more liberal wing is quickly pulling out all the stops to limit his momentum before the May 19 runoff.

Some of the biggest names in East Bay politics have already endorsed Susan Bonilla, who finished nine points behind Glazer in the Mar. 17 primary.

Rep. Eric Swalwell has endorsed Bonilla, as did her primary election opponent Joan Buchanan. Former state lawmakers Ellen Corbett and Nancy Skinner also announce support for Bonilla, in addition, to Assemblymember Bill Quirk, Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan, Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern and former Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti, who topped Glazer last June in the 16th Assembly District primary.

Rep. Eric Swalwell said Bonilla represents
the best choice for families in the district.

The Diablo Valley Democratic Club and Tri Valley Democratic Club also lined up in for Bonilla, who currently represents Concord’s 14th Assembly District.

In perhaps a prelude to the stark messaging progressives and labor unions may employ in the next two months against the centrist Glazer, Tri Valley Democratic Club President Ellis Goldberg called him “a menace who would frack the legislature by injecting divisiveness into the Democratic Caucus,”

Goldberg, a well-known activist in the Alameda County Democratic Party, added, “Glazer is not just interested in the senate seat, he will be instrumental in undermining the effectiveness of the Democratic majority. He also represents a strategy by the Chamber of Commerce of electing Democrats in name only by dividing segments of the party. If this strategy works in SD7 as it has in other places in the state, the Chamber will continue to fund the strategy. The strategy is a threat to the California Democratic Party.”

The prevalence of support from Alameda County-based officials is likely by design. Although Bonilla finished second overall, her campaign registered abysmal numbers in Alameda County. Just over 14 percent of voters in Alameda County backed Bonilla. The total amounted to a fourth place finish in the county and, more troublesome, less support than the Republican candidate who had previously dropped out of the race.