Over the last few weeks, a group of individuals, including sitting members of the judiciary, have been conducting a concerted and behind the scenes campaign to persuade members of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee to take the extraordinary step of rescinding its endorsement of Michael Nava – a superbly qualified lawyer who is running to become San Francisco's first openly gay judge of color. Nava – a lifelong Democrat – is running against Judge Richard J. Ulmer, until recently a longtime Republican and Schwarzenegger appointee, who is endorsed by the San Francisco Republican Party, and who was a contributor to the campaigns of George W. Bush, John McCain, and other Republican candidates. Supporters of Ulmer want the DCCC to switch its support of Nava to "no endorsement" for the November election.
We write today to urge the San Francisco Democratic Party not to cave into behind-the-scenes political pressure and make the grave mistake of retracting its endorsement of a man who, if elected, would be one of the finest judges on the San Francisco bench.
Nava has impeccable credentials. A graduate of Stanford Law School, Nava has a legal career that spans close to 30 years. He has worked for one of the state's top law firms, has served as a prosecutor, and currently works as an attorney for Justice Carlos Moreno, the only judge on the state Supreme Court to stand up for same-sex marriage in the Proposition 8 case.
Besides his professional accomplishments, Nava has a compelling personal story. He is the child of a teenage mother, the grandson of Mexican immigrants, who grew up in poverty, and who nevertheless distinguished himself because of his intelligence and perseverance. He worked his way through college and law school. He is a superb writer, a gifted public speaker, an acclaimed novelist, and a role model for many groups who have been marginalized in our society. As the first openly gay judge of color on the San Francisco bench, he would present a face to the public that is sorely unrepresented.
Given Nava's stellar qualifications, it is not surprising that he came in first place in the June primary, polling almost 46 percent of the vote in a three-way race. In fact, Nava would likely have won outright had there not been another gay candidate, Dan Dean, who has now endorsed Nava. By contrast, 58 percent of the voters rejected incumbent Ulmer. Nava achieved this victory with the support of the LGBT community, including the endorsement of both the Alice B. Toklas and Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic clubs as well as a number of LGBT elected officials, including state Senator Mark Leno and Supervisor Bevan Dufty.
Those of us who have supported Nava believe, as he does, that the San Francisco Superior Court should reflect the diversity of the community it serves. Currently, of the 51 judges, only three are Latino and there has never been a gay or lesbian judge of color, even though LGBT people of color are an important and growing part of our community. This is why we believe that Nava will make a great judge, distinguished both for his intellect and his humanity.
In making its endorsement a few months ago, the DCCC considered all of the candidates for this position, including Nava and Ulmer. After careful consideration of everyone's professional experience, accomplishments and background, the DCCC rightly concluded that Nava was the best choice. Except for behind the scenes political maneuvering by some of Ulmer's supporters, nothing has changed since then – Nava remains the best choice. The DCCC should stand by its endorsement of Nava.
Assemblyman Tom Ammiano represents the 13th Assembly District; David Campos is a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and an elected member of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee.