Cindy Chavez is a people-uniter. How else could one explain why so many incongruous political actors of varying stripes are singing Kumbaya as they work to defeat her in the county supervisor race to replace George Shirakawa Jr. Progressives and conservatives in Silicon Valley are teaming up to battle the Chavistas, and it’s causing some friction for top opponent Teresa Alvarado as she stitches together a coalition. Apparently, some Chamber of Commerce partisans weren’t thrilled with Alvarado’s choice of political organizer, former Labor Temple soldier and occasional San Jose Inside columnist Peter Allen as her campaign manager. Allen had butted heads with independent expenditure tree shaker Vic Ajlouny during the 2012 City Council race in Almaden. The two were on opposite teams in the Johnny Khamis-Robert Braunstein battle, but in this go-around, both fell into the anti-Chavez axis. Since labor pushed Alvarado out of its camp with sole endorsements, Teresa has been courting the business community vote. She’s since slid Allen aside, choosing Magdalena Carrasco, an East Side school board member and fellow Latina Democrat who’s also fallen out of favor with the South Bay Labor Council. A few weeks ago, Allen was reassigned to work on other campaigns with Alvarado’s consultant Leo Briones, a noted political strategist and part-time poet. Allen, however, says that any talk of calamity couldn’t be further from the truth, as titles are irrelevant in a compacted race and he still holds a role in the campaign’s communications work. But Allen’s continued presence could continue to irritate the Chamber and San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, both of whom endorsed Alvarado and have little affection for Allen’s outspoken views and former association with the labor union organization.
Culture
Progressives, Conservatives Form Tense Partnership to Defeat Chavez
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Teresa Alvarado, left, has a a broad coalition of supporters who have come together to defeat Cindy Chavez.
This will be a tough one. The overriding goal is to keep Chavez off the Board of Supervisors. Is Alvarado the best “ABC” candidate, or does some like David Wall actually have a chance?
Wall would surely shake the Supe’s up but Alvarado is still the best chance of defeating Chavez. As you said the overriding goal has to be to defeat Chavez. Four (and potentially 8) years of another slimy Shirakawa-like unethical and bully elected official is just unacceptable for the east side. We deserve better and must demand better from our candidates and elected officials.
Chavez backed Shirakawa, helped keep his dirty little secrets (about gambling and theft) and then had the audacity to lobby on his behalf so he wouldn’t be removed and held accountable for stealing from the public! For that alone she should be shuttered from all future San Jose/Santa Clara political offices.
WAKE UP SAN JOSE!
> Chavez backed Shirakawa, helped keep his dirty little secrets (about gambling and theft) and then had the audacity to lobby on his behalf so he wouldn’t be removed and held accountable for stealing from the public! For that alone she should be shuttered from all future San Jose/Santa Clara political offices.
As in the case of Rich Robinson, those who have offended the public good by irresponsible behaviors such as supporting and promoting horrible, awful candidates and horrible, awful government should be expected to show some remorse.
I know the path to remorsefulness has been difficult for Rich; he seems to have the same problem in saying “I was wrong” as did The Fonz on “Happy Days”.
“I was wrrr…. wrrrr… wrrr…”
“Gaaaacckk.” (Cough, cough cough).
But, I think that Cindy Chavez’ offense to the public good has been at least as malodorous as Rich’s and the public is likewise entitled to a big dish of remorsefulness from Cindy.
“I’m sorry. So sorry. Please accept my apology.”
“I should have known better.”
“I will never recommend or promote a turkey for public office ever again.”
“Not even myself”.
“Not even myself”
That is great! If only she’d listen
If this is the same David Wahl who has something to say at almost every city council meeting then forget about it. You need only replay video of some of his rants against certain ethnic groups in the community to dispose of his candidacy very quickly.
The idea of these so called “progressives-and-conservatives-gone-wild” is giving me a bad mental picture of Chuck Reed flashing people.
Perception is reality. If Chavez is the union candidate and Alvardo is the anti-union candidate, then this isn’t about who really wins. It’s about the political capital that comes with a victory.
In my opinion, a strongly union affiliated candidate would not be a viable candidate in at least 3 and likely 4 of the other districts.
District 2 seems to care more about surnames than anything else.
> She’s since slid Allen aside, choosing Magdalena Carrasco, an East Side school board member and fellow Latina Democrat who’s also fallen out of favor with the South Bay Labor Council. A few weeks ago, Allen was reassigned to work on other campaigns with Alvarado’s consultant Leo Briones, a noted political strategist and part-time poet. Allen, however, says that any talk of calamity couldn’t be further from the truth, as titles are irrelevant in a compacted race and he still holds a role in the campaign’s communications work.
Hmmm.
“Slid Allen aside”
“reassigned”
“titles are irrelevant …”
“still holds a role …”
Not the sort of stuff you find on the resume of a blue chipper.
Oh well. I guess Peter Allen will have more time to work on regressing melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels, superstorms, draught, famine, and whatever.
> “Whether or not you believe human industry is responsible for melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels, superstorms, draught, and famine, you have to admit that the future looks bleak for our species if we don’t do something to stop the regression.”
By the way, who put Allen in charge of saving our species, anyway?
If our species really needs saving, couldn’t we get someone with a better resume?