Political consultant Jim Rivaldo, who managed campaigns for numerous San Francisco politicos and had a close association with the late Harvey Milk, died Tuesday, October 16 at his home in the city. He was 60.
Mr. Rivaldo had been suffering from AIDS, hepatitis C, and other complications, including liver cancer and diabetes, said Brian Basinger, director of the AIDS Housing Alliance and president of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, of which Mr. Rivaldo was a founder. Basinger's agency helped Mr. Rivaldo find his apartment and a volunteer caretaker.
"I had the pleasure of working with Jim and Dan Nicoletta on Jim's final contribution, a calendar honoring Harvey Milk," Basinger said. "We're dedicating it to his memory."
Nicoletta said that the calendar would be a benefit for the Milk Club.
"I will never forget Jim's great sense of humor," Nicoletta said.
City Attorney Dennis Herrera told the Bay Area Reporter Wednesday that Mr. Rivaldo's death "is a real loss for everybody."
Mr. Rivaldo managed Herrera's first campaign for city attorney in 2001, when he was an underdog and won the race in a runoff, surprising most political observers.
"He was a pioneer and a groundbreaker," Herrera said. "He kept his integrity throughout his life and even those who disagreed with him politically had the utmost respect for him."
Mr. Rivaldo was the last person to speak with Milk before he was murdered in 1978 in his City Hall office by disgruntled ex-Supervisor Dan White.
"He was a link to that era," said Matthew Rothschild, now a deputy city attorney.
Rothschild pointed out that Mr. Rivaldo was also proud of his work helping elect candidates of color to various positions in the city.
"He helped nearly every one, from Ella Hill Hutch to Kamala Harris," Rothschild said, referring to the late former supervisor and current district attorney.
"Jim's insight, design, and political strategy elected key leaders from the LGBT community, from the obvious – Supervisor Harvey Milk – to the more recent victories of state Senator Carole Migden, Assemblyman Mark Leno, and Supervisors Tom Ammiano and Bevan Dufty," said Rebecca Prozan, co-chair of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club.
Mr. Rivaldo grew up in Rochester, New York and graduated from Harvard University. He had been in San Francisco since Christmas 1971. During the presentation of a commendation from the Board of Supervisors just three weeks ago, Mr. Rivaldo, who was frail at the time, told the Bay Area Reporter that he was most proud of his association with Milk.
"We thought Jim would live forever," Rothschild said. "He had beaten the odds so many times."
Rothschild said that Mr. Rivaldo's family had been to see him, and his brother was at his bedside.
"They were going to change the world," Rothschild said of Mr. Rivaldo and Milk. "And they did."
At press time, memorial plans had not been announced.