We made it to the Gordon Biersch brewing facility on Taylor Street, where we parked alongside some beer pallets and wended our way through a labyrinth of bottling machinery to Sheriff Laurie Smith’s rooftop shindig.

The atmosphere was festive and the food top flight, so we washed down some penne and salad with a sturdy ale. San Jose Councilman Oliverio arrived seconds behind us and revealed that he was locked in a tight race for one of six seats on the Democratic Central Committee.

Judge Ray Cunningham, brought out of retirement to hold down a South County bench, showed off his proficiency on an iPad and commented on the number of women trouncing their male opponents in the senate and gubernatorial races as well as three local judicial contests. “The one guy who may win tonight is Jeff Rosen,” he said.

Smith proved one of the biggest winners of the night, decimating the two small-town former police chiefs who ran against her, one of whom managed to secure Mayor Reed’s endorsement.