A number of LGBT newcomers are hoping Democratic voters in San Francisco will elevate them to party posts next week, allowing them to help shape the city's political structure for the next four years.
Running in Tuesday's primary election for what is known as the Democratic County Central Committee, or D-triple-C for short, the candidates would bring a range of diverse perspectives to the body. Among the out non-incumbents are three women, two who identify as bisexual and two women of color, two gay African-American men, and an HIV-positive man.
There are currently 11 lesbian, gay, and bisexual DCCC members �" there are no elected transgender members �" among the 24 elected seats to the body. All but two are running for re-election.
The positions are divided between the city's two Assembly Districts, with 14 seats allotted to the 17th Assembly District covering the city's eastern neighborhoods and 10 given to the 19th Assembly District.
Those elected to the DCCC could use serving on the oversight body as a launching pad to run for elected office in the future. It has been years since San Francisco has elected a lesbian or bi woman to public office, and over the years, the city has seen few queer people of color hold elected positions.
Even if they eschew becoming lawmakers, DCCC members could use their influence on the party's panel, which endorses in local races and elects the local party chair, to recruit LGBT candidates to run for elected office and work to see that the party supports them.
"For me, I noticed when I got politically active the lack of African-American male representation in elected officials in San Francisco," noted Shaun Haines, 37, a gay black man who grew up in San Francisco, living in more than a dozen of the city's neighborhoods.
A member of the city's Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, Haines is currently out of work and has instead focused on his DCCC bid. He has highlighted his sexual orientation and race as he has campaigned for the seat, and at times has had to defend his doing so.
"I believe that serving the community on the DCCC as a gay black would bring more awareness to a great many issues," Haines recently wrote on his Facebook page. "I feel that an elected black male perspective is needed in our local Democratic Party leadership to address issues that impact everyone."
Kaiser OB-GYN Dr. Pratima Gupta, who is the volunteer medical director of the St. James Infirmary, a clinic for sex workers and transgender individuals, like Haines is running for a DCCC seat from AD 17. Gupta, 41, who identifies as queer, is a mother and is married to a cisgender man, has also fielded questions about her sexual orientation while on the campaign trail.
The experience overall has been "fun," said Gupta, who has utilized the skills she learned from Emerge California, which trains Democratic women to seek elected office.
"I am putting my best foot forward and trying hard," she said. "I hope people recognize that and the unique voice I bring as a medical provider."
Another newcomer is Gary McCoy, who would maintain leadership from within the city's HIV-positive community on the DCCC should he win a seat from AD 17. He said this week he is "feeling pretty good" of his chances.
"I have run a strong campaign and it is up to the voters," said McCoy, 37, who recently started working for the city's recreation and park department as a policy and community affairs manager.
Rather than his HIV status, McCoy said what has resonated most with voters is his having been homeless in the city and his being in recovery due to a meth addiction.
"I have gotten more feedback on living in the Castro as a homeless young adult," he said.
Progress, reform slates
McCoy is one of six gay or lesbian candidates running for DCCC from AD 17 who are part of the moderate Progress San Francisco slate. Most are incumbents �" Francis Tsang, Scott Wiener, Rebecca Prozan, and Zoe Dunning �" but also on the list is Arlo H. Smith, a gay man who last year resigned from his DCCC seat representing AD 19 and then moved into AD 17.
The Progress San Francisco slate for AD 19 candidates includes firefighter Keith Baraka, a gay black man who has served as an alternate on the DCCC and is now seeking his own seat. Also on the slate from AD 19 is gay DCCC member Joel Engardio, named to fill a vacancy last year and now running for a full term.
McCoy said he was "fortunate" to be recruited onto the Progress slate by current party chair Mary Jung. But with so many local elected leaders and DCCC incumbents in the race, including nine out of 11 of the city's supervisors, McCoy remains realistic about his chances come Election Day.
"I think it has helped me significantly as far as visibility and endorsements," said McCoy, who serves on the city's shelter monitoring task force.
Gupta, on the other hand, is one of eight out members of the more progressive SF Reform slate of DCCC candidates from AD 17. It includes two other out non-incumbent candidates: Frances Hsieh, 42, a lesbian married mother who is a legislative aide to District 11 Supervisor John Avalos, and Alysabeth Alexander, 34, a bisexual woman who is Service Employees International Union Local 1021's vice president of politics.
"Being on that slate is definitely a big deal on the 17th side of town," said Hsieh, though she added "on-the-street engagement" with voters at transit stops and community events is another "key" factor.
"I have been out there, for example, at the Mission farmers market last Thursday and issues of affordability and governance and who has the ear of politicians has been an issue that has really resonated with voters," she said.
As for her chances of winning a DCCC seat, Hsieh said, "I feel like I have done everything I could do and now it is up to the will of the voters."
Although being part of the slate has made Gupta, as well as Alexander, a target in attack mailers pegging her as an ally of District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin, a former Democratic Party chair, she said it has also allowed her to learn from more seasoned candidates.
The out incumbent DCCC members on the Reform slate are Petra DeJesus, Bevan Dufty, David Campos, and Rafael Mandelman. It also includes gay former city and state lawmaker Tom Ammiano.
Working with the slate, said Gupta, "has been wonderful as a mentorship point of view." She added, "I think it is definitely going to play a role. People are excited and looking for a change in San Francisco and wanting some new fresh voices at the table."
Not part of either of the two main competing slates, Haines said it remains to be seen what impact they will have on the race.
"That is the question on everybody's mind," he said.
Altogether there are 39 candidates running for the 14 DCCC seats from AD 17 and 21 people running for the 10 DCCC seats in AD 19. Despite the long list of bold-faced political names on the ballot seeking DCCC seats, Haines said the body remains fairly obscure to voters.
"I think a lot of people are remarkably unaware of what the DCCC does," said Haines.
Also left off the two slates is Michael Edward Grafton, 54, a gay man running for a DCCC seat from AD 17. He told the B.A.R. that part of the problem with the committee is it often takes positions and endorses candidates that are not in the best interest of the city's residents.
"In my opinion, the endorsements and resolutions passed by the SF DCCC seem corporate controlled, and seem risk averse, and not very reflective of the average San Franciscan," contended Grafton.