Candidate Rafael Mandelman addressed the crowd at Magnet while Scott Weiner and Rebecca Prozan looked on. Laura Spanjian was seated behind Mandelman. Photo by Rink.

Magnet, the Castro’s medical and cultural center in the Castro, hosted a District 8 supervisor debate on Oct. 27. There was anticipation and tension in the air in the space that Mayor Willie Brown described as beautifully designed as the W Hotel, for an election that is happening November, 2010, when the district’s Supervisor Bevan Dufty will be stepping down due to term limits. But some intense political junkies would have you believe that the election is happening next week. A party to promote marriage equality in Maine and a Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club meeting occurring at the same time as the debate but did not affect the popularity of the event.
Magnet director Steve Gibson welcomed the guests who had packed the space and described the debate ground rules, and then

each candidate spoke about their backgrounds and goals if elected. 

Then there was a Q&A and a reception for one-on-one opportunities with the four announced candidates. 

Attorney and Harvey Milk Club President Rafael Mandelman spoke first about who he is, why he is running, and what the district’s citizens and Mandelman can do together. He spoke about being afraid to be near gay Supervisor Harry Britt when he was a City Hall intern because he thought it would make him gay. This is a not an isolated fear. A lesbian couple with a feminist farm in the Deep South, on a fundraising tour through San Francisco, said that backward ministers told people that if women or girls rode past their farm they would become lesbians. He also spoke about his positions on the Board of Appeals and the Democratic Central Committee. And he stressed a need for a progressive coalition to better solve problems and serve citizens. He stated a need to help out children and finished by playfully calling the other three candidates “kids.”

Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Prozan started her presentation by saying that she is humbled and honored to be considered for the district supervisor seat. She spoke about working for Mayor Willie Brown as his LGBT liaison, and how she was able to obtain funding for the community that included money for Magnet. Prozan spoke about having the experience for the supervisor job and that she recognized the need to oversee and enhance funding for HIV/AIDS and childrens’ health programs. She emphasized that her day job of helping victims get justice prepares her for the public safety needs of the district. 

Deputy City Attorney Scott Wiener began his presentation with a swipe at the mostly progressive Board of Supervisors by saying that he would not be “ideological.” That is the word that San Francisco dailies most use when the board votes on international issues. Wiener said that his job gives him insight to how city departments operate and that he has ideas of how to improve their efficiency. He also spoke about his presidency of the Eureka Valley Improvement Association, his co-founding of the Castro Community on Patrol, and his former position as chair of the Democratic Central Committee as a source of perspective that would make him a good choice for supervisor. 

PUC Assistant General Manager Laura Spanjian, the only non-attorney candidate, started her remarks by saying that she did not need a microphone and that her loud voice is something that she was known for in high school. She then complimented Magnet by letting the audience know that the medical center is one of the top six in the U.S., according to the Center for Disease Control. Spanjian said that she learned a lot from working for lesbian Supervisor Leslie Katz, working for the Muni just as it went into a meltdown, and then on to the PUC during its current multi-billion dollar water and sewer projects. She stressed that she would be a 24-hour supervisor who could be counted on to solve constituents’ problems. She also spoke about her position on the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund board and on an advisory board for the newly re-opened Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Library. 

During the Q&A some of the districts’ major issues were discussed. All four candidates agreed with Supervisor Dufty’s closing down of the Castro Halloween that drew hundreds of thousands of mostly non-costumed throngs and Assemblyman Tom Ammiano’s marijuana legislation. Except for Wiener, they agreed with Supervisor David Campos’ legislation to resist the apprehension of undocumented youths who are not convicted of a crime.

Mandelman waved the progressive flag to denounce the owner of Whole Foods for his distain for workers’ guaranteed health care plans and unions during a discussion of incoming Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s outlets to District 8. 

There was a congeniality among the candidates that could spread to their supporters. Ranked choice voting makes it advantageous to keep the lid down hard on conflicts, since even moderate voters could hand over one vote to a progressive and the other way around. There has been one surprise election victory because of this dynamic, and it could happen again.

Harvey Milk’s name came up because the District 8 seat was mentioned as a legacy seat. All four candidates sounded like they understood that constituents expect attention to their needs, which is what Milk worked at day and night.