SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO — Councilman James Coleman, the city’s youngest person ever elected to a council seat, announced on Tuesday he will run a progressive campaign to fill the state assembly seat left open by Kevin Mullin.
On Monday, U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier — who said she would not seek re-election in a surprise announcement last month — tapped Assemblymember and Speaker Pro Tempore Mullin as her preferred candidate to take her seat in the nation’s capital, paving the way for Peninsula politicos to vie for the open assembly seat.
Coleman, 22 — who last year unseated an 18-year incumbent with his democratic-socialist and progressive platform — is seeking to take that seat and advocate for a host of left-leaning policies in Sacramento. He was among several other democratic-socialist candidates on the Peninsula to win council seats on policy positions inspired by the likes of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and other left-wing figures.
“My father was a FedEx worker. My mom is a Taiwanese immigrant who worked as a lab assistant at Kaiser. Growing up working-class profoundly shaped my values,” Coleman said in his announcement posted on Twitter. “I’m running to represent our communities in Sacramento because our government can’t just work for the wealthy and well connected, it has to work for everyone.”
Last year I became South San Francisco’s first openly LGBTQ+ and youngest councilmember ever elected.
Now, I’m running for State Assembly because our government can’t just work for the wealthy and well connected, it has to work for everyone.
And I’ve got the courage to act. pic.twitter.com/rKCFt0zftY
— James Coleman (@JamesColemanSSF) December 7, 2021
Coleman, who was born and raised in San Mateo County, said he is running to represent his community in Sacramento and advocate for “a wealth tax on billionaires and corporations, universal childcare and pre-school, and reproductive freedom for all.” Coleman also is advocating for “truly affordable housing”, Medicare for All and aggressive action to beat back climate change.
As a councilman, Coleman has not wavered on his progressive campaign goals. During his first year, he led the implementation of a Guaranteed Income pilot program that is providing $500 a month for a year to over 160 families in need. He also led the passage of a Hazard Pay ordinance that gave local essential grocery and drugstore workers an extra $5 an hour — the first in the county.
As a son of working-class parents, Coleman said he hopes to center his campaign on the experiences of working families in the county and is “grounded in the belief that nothing can inform a representative better than a true understanding and empathy towards their constituents’ struggles.” He said he will not accept campaign contributions from private developers, fossil fuel companies and major corporations.
In his bid to take Mullin’s seat, Coleman boasts the support of Assemblymember Alex Lee, the youngest person to win a seat on the state assembly during the last election and a staunch advocate for progressive policy. Coleman said he’d be a “partner in crime” to Lee and will “absolutely” join the assembly’s Democratic Progressive Caucus, but will aim to also work across the aisle.
“James is exactly the sort of leadership San Mateo County needs in the state assembly,” Lee said in a statement. “His independence from corporate special interests will enable him to advocate for needed policies for workers, for affordable housing, and the environment. I currently have the title of the youngest legislator but would be thrilled to see James take the record when elected in 2022.”
After redistricting changes to the legislative map boundaries, District 22 will encompass portions of Brisbane, South San Francisco, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo, Moss Beach, Foster City, Belmont the Redwood Shores neighborhood of Redwood City, central and downtown Redwood City, North Fair Oaks and East Palo Alto.
Pacifica councilmember Mary Bier said in a statement she’ll support Coleman in his bid.
“James is a powerful example for all of our young people in San Mateo County,” she said. “Perseverance, strength and willingness to lead only begin to describe his qualities as an elected official. His work speaks for itself.”
Coleman is a graduate of Harvard University and currently represents District 4 on the South San Francisco City Council. He’ll be running against San Mateo councilmember Diane Papan, who announced her candidacy for the District 22 seat Nov. 23. Other potential opponents Coleman’s staff is watching out for are longtime San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine and Redwood City councilmember Giselle Hale.
Despite what could end up being a crowded field, Coleman told this news organization he is confident he will win.
“I think there’s a lot of energy behind having a young, queer candidate,” he said. “Last year we ran a very grassroots-oriented campaign, we had hundreds of grassroots donors and canvassers knocking on doors and making phone calls. Mullin has been a pretty progressive voice on the assembly, so we need to make sure there’s a progressive who takes that seat.”
Source: www.mercurynews.com