Woman Replaces Woman in Oakland Mayor's Office

Oakland Mayor-elect Libby Schaaf
(Image: libbyschaaf.com)

For all the fuss about the US Senate elections, a very interesting electoral phenomenon took place in Oakland, California. The local stakes included a vote for a new mayor. What was curious was that the three candidates were all female, including the incumbent, Jean Quan. Ms. Mayor did not win re-election; city councilwoman Libby Schaaf decisively outpolled Quan and Rebecca Kaplan.

It is highly unlikely that any major American city has offered a ticket of exclusively women candidates for a major office. However, Oakland is a curious political case, with a feisty, left-leaning population and intense social and economic issues facing it. The city lives in San Francisco's shadow, and the rise of Silicon Valley has only exacerbated the sense of Oakland's inferiority. Ironically, the acceleration of real estate prices into San Francisco's stratosphere has pushed people to "discover" Oakland. The usual suspects -- galleries, inexpensive restaurants, clothing stores -- are starting to open. However, women running the political show is definitely not business as usual, and bears watching in the months ahead.