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Assembly Race Twists and Turns

ASSEMBLY EDGE SO FAR FOR YEE: In 1996, the Democratic powers decided that Supervisors Kevin Shelley and Carole Migden would run for State Assembly. Both became the YODA candidates (Your Only Democratic Alternative) — and won.

What’s happening, five years later?

Facing term limitations, Migden and Shelley are off and running for Board of Equalization and Secretary of State, respectively. Then there’s the question of reapportionment. Nobody knows what San Francisco’s assembly districts will look like until the fall of 2001.

At the center of all this change are discussions of who will run in March 2002 to replace them. But many aspiring candidates don’t even know which district they’ll end up in after redistricting.

Last week, though, it became a little bit clearer for the 12th District, which includes the west, southwest and northwest portions of San Francisco.

At a Chinatown press conference, Judge Lillian Sing announced her withdrawal due to ill health at the recommendation of her physician and family.

Meanwhile, Supervisor Gavin Newsom, who now lives outside the district, reiterated his commitment to stay out of the race, for now. “I am not considering a run for Assembly,” he said. “But it can be changed based on circumstances.”

Supervisor Leland Yee, on the other hand, seems ready to make a move. He revealed that he’s taking steps to formalize a candidacy in advance of his May 18 fundraiser.

“We’ve been encouraged by the reception [to a candidacy],” said Yee. “We have, in the last couple of months, looked at the poll numbers … we feel we will win if we jump in.”

And according to local pollster David Binder, Yee would have the “nod” in a race lacking Newsom and Sing.

“Sing’s removal helps… Yee with Asian American voters,” he said. “It definitely strengthens his hand.”

TENG AND FANG ENTRY?: Yee’s status as the only Asian American candidate and the favorite might be short-lived, depending on former Supervisor Mabel Teng and AsianWeek President and BART Director James Fang – who may vie for the same base of Asian American voters.

Teng, reached at San Francisco State University, said she was “thinking about it.”

The former supervisor has retained her campaign consultant and has been making the political rounds lately, appearing at the recent California Democratic Party convention in Anaheim on March 31-April 1.

Speculation also focuses on Fang, who echoed the same thoughts as Teng.

“My concentration currently is on local problems, local issues. I feel an overwhelming obligation to BART, now that we’re extending it to San Jose,” said Fang. If he enters, the 10-year BART Director would probably seek the Republican nomination.

Teng and Fang, like Yee, have a core Asian American electoral base. However, to win, they would need to garner greater non-Asian American support.

In his re-election last year, Yee still won despite the presence of Asian American candidates Tom Hsieh, Jr., Darryl Honda, and Vu-Duc Vuong.

Fang has been elected three times since 1990 in a BART district that has major population concentrations of Asian Americans in the city.

Yee’s former colleague, Mabel Teng, also won votes from Asian and non-Asian American candidates when she ran last year and citywide in 1994 and 1998.

Any candidate will need to decide soon whether to run for Assembly with Yee trying to scoop up Sing’s supporters and “clear the field” of opposition. Sing’s supporters such as Benny Yee, Thomas Eng, Pius Lee, Rose Pak are up for grabs, as is Julie Lee, who has been a political and financial backer of Teng’s.

DON’T CRY, FRY ME: Send your comments to me by e-mail at samson@sfindependent.com or potsticker@prodigy.net. Calls accepted at 415-359-2899.