It was standing-room-only at El Rio last night, where perhaps 200 locals packed in to watch the first debate of the District 9 supervisors race. Questions bounced between the fentanyl crisis, housing, the cost of living, attitudes toward the mayor, and a host of other issues.
Six of the seven actively campaigning candidates — Trevor Chandler, Roberto Hernandez, Jaime Gutierrez, Julian Bermudez, Jackie Fielder, and Stephen Torres — were present. The seventh, Michael Petrelis, received a late invitation but said he had a scheduling conflict.
The audience was lively, but generally respectful. Whenever heckling became too disruptive, mediator Jeffrey Kwong, president of the Harvey Milk Club, expertly managed the crowd with skills he honed as a high-school teacher.
Candidates grilling candidates
After opening statements, the first section of the debate saw candidates invited to ask questions of one another.
Chandler used his time to pepper the other District 9 candidates with quick-fire questions on drugs, mental health and police numbers. Both Hernandez and Torres said they did not support arresting street-level fentanyl dealers. Chandler, Gutierrez, and Bermudez said they did, while Fielder said she did, “but that can’t be the only thing.”
Hernandez also quizzed his fellow candidates on how to stop fentanyl deaths. Chandler advocated for declaring a state of emergency and organizing the response between the state and local level. Gutierrez wanted to tackle both dealing and addiction. Both Bermudez and Torres spoke of personally losing people to the fentanyl epidemic, which killed several hundred people in the city last year, and Torres said the city needed to consult “public health experts.”
“We have to invest in treatment and services,” said Fielder. “We have no system where people can actually access free, on-demand treatment.”
The debate’s fiercest moment came when Fielder went on the offensive against Chandler. “For five years,” she said, he “worked for one of the most conservative, most feared lobbying organizations in Washington, D.C., called the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.” She referenced the committee’s endorsement of Republicans and asked if Chandler opposed a recent Gaza ceasefire resolution passed by the Board of Supervisors.
Chandler said that he did oppose the resolution, saying he did not want to align himself with anti-Semitic San Franciscans who supported it.
Later in the evening, Chandler would hit back at Fielder by returning to fentanyl. “When someone’s been in this race for 250 days without putting out a single plan about how they would solve the opioid epidemic, ask them why,” said Chandler.
Bermudez quizzed his fellow District 9 candidates about how they intend to attract the youth vote, prompting mentions of community-building from Torres, well-paying green jobs from Fielder, reducing the cost of living from Gutierrez, affordable housing from Chandler, and organizing from Hernandez.
“Ask a person that age how much they are in debt with college. Ask them if they can rent a house,” said Hernandez. “My answer to that is to organize and organize and organize these young people so that they can become empowered and hold elected officials accountable.”
Show and tell
In the next section of the debate, each candidate presented an object of their choosing.
Gutierrez gave each of his fellow debaters an “I love Muni” button, describing the transit system as “the lifeblood of the city.”
Hernandez spoke about his struggles with alcoholism 27 years ago, and gave each candidate a piece of sage to represent healing: “One of the most beautiful gifts that was given to me was the gift of recovery,” he said.
Bermudez brought along one of his campaign posters. Designed by a friend, it read, “Bermudez, District 9 Supervisor” on a street sign.
Both Torres and Chandler returned the discussion to fentanyl by giving everyone on the stage Narcan, the over-the-counter opioid overdose treatment. Torres discussed his work at a supervised consumption site, the Twin Peaks Tavern in the Castro, and asked each of the potential supervisors to carry the treatment from now on. “If we are going to move forward, we need to do so as a community,” he said. “And a community has compassion for each other.”
While he brought the same gift, Chandler struck a slightly different note: “I believe in harm reduction,” he said. “I believe in it as a strategy, but it will not work alone. We cannot bring people back from death just so they can die slower.”
Fielder brought in a novelty check for $14 billion, representing the city budget, signed away to “Wall Street.”
“Our money is going to Wall Street, and not going to Main Street here in San Francisco,” she said, going on to discuss her previous work in support of a public city bank. “We have thousands of units that are actually approved to be built, but they can’t find the financing. So, we need to make our money work for us.”
Other highlights
The final chunk of the debate saw members of various Democratic clubs grilling the candidates, highlighting some revealing splits between them.
Five of the six District 9 candidates opposed a return to citywide supervisorial elections, saying it would cost more and lead to less neighborhood representation. Chandler signaled support for a “hybrid model,” arguing that “the mayor should not be the only one thinking citywide.”
In response to a question from Kwong, Fielder and Torres said they would not vote to re-elect London Breed as mayor. Chandler said he would not endorse a candidate for mayor until the filing period was over (nomination documents must be filed by June 2024). Hernandez, Gutierrez and Bermudez focused on other elements of Kwong’s inquiry and did not talk about the mayoral race.
Going by the level of applause at the end of the night, it was Fielder who impressed the audience the most — although more of her supporters may have been in the bar to begin with, judging by the dozen or so “Jackie Fielder for Supervisor” placards bobbing in the crowd.
For more details on the candidates’ responses, you can watch the full debate on Instagram, where it was streamed by the Harvey Milk Club.
Jackie reminded me of trump last night, revving up the crowd over unrelated issues in order to score some political point over an opponent. Her answers were gobbledygook and her heckling supporters left me feeling queasy. Is this what we support?
They don’t even pretend to care about local issues. It’s all just a platform for spreading a broad, international leftist political message. It’s Fielder’s prerogative to run for a district supervisor seat that way, and it might have worked in the past, but given how things are going on the ground I doubt it’s going to contrast well with any competently run campaign focused on concrete, practical, and fast action on the major local problems we all see every day.
Yes, we support her.
I have a feeling you probably said the same thing about Bernie Sanders supporters. There is nothing wrong with name-calling in politics, and passion from young voters should be encouraged.
Why should passion from young people be encouraged? What if they are wrong? What if like Fielder the care more about posturing then about actually solving problems?
if they’re young and care to show up to a political event, that’s a good start. considering the percentage of young people who vote, even being involved is better than being apathetic or hopeless about taking part in the democratic process.
Paul Dupree: I voted for Bernie Sanders twice. There’s just no comparison. Bernie talks intelligently about issues that he could actually address.
Fielder spouts a lot of progressive language and has MAGA-like supporters shouting down opponents. She’s more like a left-wing Trump than Sanders.
Shizuka,
Me too on Bernie and I don’t believe he lost in 20 of 22 or whatever states on last ‘Super Tuesday’ when he was running away with it.
All Dominion machines.
All Proprietary Code Counting Algorithms.
Please, God, let John Arntz have a revelation and give us Open Source …
That said, wait til you see how audiences react to my schtick.
h. brown
Oh jeez, who’s buying Fielder’s make-believe how the rent-seekers are sitting on Wall Street… there’s no need to even look out the window.
I wasn’t at El Rio for the debate but have some thoughts anyway:
1. Thanks to El Rio for sponsoring the debate.
2. Thanks to Mission Local for the report
3. Grandstanding on Israel/Palestine is ridiculous and has nothing to do with issues facing the Mission
4. It’s possible that a combo of at large supes and district supes may be a great solution to the mess that describes our BOS.
Charles,
When I moved here we had City Wide Supes and my buddy, Angela Alioto was President of the Board by virtue of getting the most votes City-Wide.
She was followed by my comrade-in-arms, Tom Ammiano who was followed by my Political Idol and great friend (he got me out when I tangled w/a cop … sitting in court as the defendant with him representing and springing you … Matt Gonzalez followed by then drinking and smoking buddy, Peskin and then a string of forgettables …
Let’s keep District Elections but your relentlessness is noted and appreciated cause what fun is it if your opposition is lazy and careless ?
In the end tho it’s about who get’s the girl, right ?
Wait. Am I in the right conversation.
Yes, I’m a candidate and Yes I have a Sense of Humor.
Go Niners !!!
I’m disappointed that there is only one woman in the race, and I went to the debate having heard general chatter about Jackie Fielder naturally taking Ronen’s seat.
Everything I saw of her last night was deeply disappointing. She was hostile — not just aggressive, which would be fine, but mean and shouty and unpleasant. Bringing up AIPAC, which is nowhere near a D9 issue, but IS an anti-Semitic hot button, was irritating and disruptive. The $14 billion giant check was a meaningless stunt. And being overtly nasty and disrespectful to Chandler was just rude and unprofessional. So, I came in favorably disposed to her and left disliking her and thinking her talk was bigger than her accomplishments, and that she lacked the demeanor for an important job representing this community.
For the most part, the candidates were reasonable and responsive. I felt that one really stood out as the clear best choice.
That clear best choice is Roberto Hernandez, who, rather than just talking a good game has worked for many years WITH DEMONSTRBLE GOOD RESULTS for this community. He has worked in culture and the arts, in providing food to Mission residents in times of need, providing health care and Covid testing and vaccination, services for the homeless and those sick with addiction (as he openly says that he was for years), for housing and small business.
I will be working for Roberto and voting for Roberto, a man of this community nifty with a proven track record of working or this community.
That venue was a terrible idea. It was inaccessible to anyone with kids and was difficult to see or hear what was going on. I was there for all of 10 minutes before I had to leave.
“Going by the level of applause at the end of the night, it was Fielder who impressed the audience the most”
If Fielder and the nonprofit industrial complex cabal are good at anything, it’s getting people to come to public meetings and be loud.
Chandler, Hernandez, and Torres disqualified themselves for me within the first 10 minutes. Hernandez and Torres by opposing the arrest of drug dealers, and Chandler with his anti-Palestine stance. Even though that doesn’t have an immediate impact on how competently he would represent the district, it makes me question his values and that he would generally lean right. Fielder seems gimmicky and overly focused on big, meaty, national issues, and I think she’s more interested in using the position to launch her career in politics than working for the people.
Overall, it’s a pretty sad bunch of candidates to pick from.
Illuminaut,
Vote for me and hang on.
D-9 is about a mile wide and 4 miles deep.
To me after watching for 40 years I think Ammiano’s ‘Healthy San Francisco’ was the best thing a supe outta here has done.
I’d push an elected Top Cop and a Justice Reform system that begins with registering students to vote beginning at Middle School and drafting them to Jury Duty.
In trials before their Peers at every Courtroom Staffing Position.
Cases from a Hall Monitor Force that puts 7 students at least in halls and grounds every period and before and after school and Write Tickets to offenders.
Crime and Trash and Crime and Trash and Crime and Trash.
I’m an Expert on both and those are the District’s greatest biggest problems.
Again, sorry I missed 1st debate but I registered and raised my right hand today at City Hall and I’ll make the rest you can bet.
On Alcatraz.
h.
Hernadez and Torres are off my list. Street level drug dealers are directly responsible for the death of hundreds people in San Francisco every year — they are murderers. If Hernadez and Torres can’t hold them accountable — or at least support action to stop them from killing people — then they cannot have any authority over public safety in the City.
Larry,
The way out is to Decriminalize drugs across the Board.
I didn’t say ‘leagalize’.
It works in Europe with the State as addicts supplier/dealer.
Same with Sex Work which would make us competitive with Vegas when we get that giant Indigenous Casino on Alcatraz.
We went that road with Gay Marriage and Pot, defying State and National Law until sanity prevailed.
Ask me why you should listen to me on these matters.
h.
Jackie Fielder has no experience and only wants to focus on international or national issues, rather than solving problems here at home. She is another Dean Preston. She would be a disaster for the Mission, just like Hilary Ronen has been.
Great to read this. Hope there are more such events & coverage of all the items on theupcoming election.
I was at the debate last night.
What bothered me was the oddly mean Jackie Fielder supporters. One in front of me screamed “shut the ***k up” to another attendee who asked Fielder to focus on local issues. I heard another say, ” we have to make sure Trevor knows he’s not welcome here.” They seemed to want to drown out other people’s point of view, though we are all San Francisco democrats.
“ Torres spoke of personally losing people to the fentanyl epidemic, which killed more than 800 in the city last year”
653 people died from fentanyl overdoses, not 800+.
Hey MissionLocal – talk about selective quoting – I didn’t know that Instagram had such a short character limit on posts…
https://www.instagram.com/jackiefielder_/p/C2SdpgSrDyE/?img_index=2
Any word on when the next debate will be? I’d like to be one of the 200 or so people in the crowd next time.
Will,
Thanks for covering this.
Will you post notices for coming campaign events as I missed this one.
I kinda like politics and am thinking of reconsidering and getting back in this race.
Were I there last evening I’d have pushed Decriminalization of drugs much on the Portugal model, an elected Police Chief, a Million Dollar Annual Trash Lottery and outfitting Campsites for the Homeless on half of our two golf courses and Treasure Island.
I’d push a local version of Yang’s UBI and a Public/Private (they pay) ‘Cut and Run for Ten Large ??’ Program.
I’d reinvest in Patrol Specials in D-9 and continue to personally clean the streets accompanied by my mind-of-his-own critter, Skippy.
On the Israeli Genocide in Gaza ?
I agree with Noam Chomsky …
History and archaeology mean nothing.
This is Genocide and all people of good conscience are calling for a Cease Fire.
Go Niners !!
h.
It is funny how supporters of Hamas (which explicitly advocates for genocide against the Jews) feel comfortable accusing Israel of genocide. Of course, there is no factual or legal basis for that claim. While one might not support the way Israel is defending itself, there is no basis for claiming that Israel is trying to eliminate the Palestinians in Gaza. The claims of genocide are ludicrous and the people who make them know that.
People of good conscience demand the release of the hostages and the surrender of Hamas.
Larry,
Over 100 countries at the UN believe this is genocide.
I thought the Israelis were more civilized.
I was wrong.
It’s funny how people think someone being critical of Israel’s policies is supporting Hamas.
Obviously Jackie Fielder is a shoe-in to carry on Hillary Ronen’s immortal legacy.
With a Jane Kim bent.
The ideal candidate to usher us past late stage capitalism into a socialist utopia.
Free everything for everybody, comrades!
It’s not even gonna be close.
Carlos,
I’d guess that the presently Gerrymandered districts will insure a Moderate majority in the Board of Supervisors.
The only person whom I personally think can save us from having another in a 40 year line of Moderate mayors is Matt Gonzalez.
He’s better looking than Richard Gere now and has a gorgeous young wife (Kelly), a baby named Lazaro and I forget the dog’s name but it better look out for my dog.
So, with Room 200 hostile to a Progressive D-9 and a Moderate Board I’d plan on making the district as Volunteer Oriented as possible.
We already have a good start picking up trash, just ask Manny.
We can have our own Volunteer Security at the BART plazas if cops won’t help.
No, Fielder’s not a shoe-in but she has my second place vote.
Don’t forget, this thing is Ranked Choice.
Don’t y’all love it ?
Go Niners !! (ten points is too much tho, gonna be closer w/Rookie kicker)
Jackie Fielder is a solid candidate. She knows how to pass legislation and actually work with community members to create change. I’d be excited to see her win!
What legislation has Jackie helped pass besides a meaningless investigation of public banking whose current fruit has been the San Francisco proposal being laughed at by state regulators?
Sorry, I find Jackie Fielder to be a light-weight aspirant without a deep understanding of the issues facing low-income residents of the Mission district. The number one issue facing low-income folks throughout the city is housing and land use. You can talk all you want about public banks and Gaza but if your constituents are being thrown out of their homes by developers, then you’re not really representing them.
And I’m not too sure if she has the type of personality and character that it takes to pass legislation in this town. It’s not enough to “jus say no” to the right-wing colleagues on the Board. If you’re a progressive lawmaker, then introduce legislations and make them pass to make progress happen instead of just patting yourself on the back for saying no to your right-wing colleagues.
Imagine having a worse grasp of local low income Mission household needs than a Noe Valley NIMBY.
I’m sorry, have any of the past two D9 supervisors done anything to help D9 residents at risk of displacement stay in their units? How much city affordable housing dollars have they directed towards the SF Community Land Trust that acquires units where residents are at risk of displacement and conserves them as permanently affordable and how much have they directed towards the CCHO new affordable construction cartel?
Nobody running for the seat has the slightest clue or desire to out-flank developers to the benefit of their housed constituents at risk of displacement. They’d get whacked if they tried without building a broad grassroots organized base of residents citywide to back them up like everyone who comes to the dance uninvited and solo.