San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Vice President Rob Black.
Photo by Luke Thomas
By Luke Thomas
August 27, 2009
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce VP Rob Black yesterday doused a recent rumor suggesting he is planning to mount a second campaign for District 6 Supervisor.
You’ll recall Black was the downtown candidate that gave stalwart progressive Supervisor Chris Daly a run for his re-election money in 2006, but lost after a cavalier Daly finally got the poll data memo indicating his three-term dynasty was under threat.
“It’s hard for me to run in District 6 when I now live in Oakland,” Black told FCJ, adding that he has no plans to move back to District 6.
As to the speculative rumor, Black said: “I wouldn’t call it speculation. I would call it irresponsible rumoring.”
“Running for office is a complicated thing,” he added. “The last time I ran, I was unemployed for eight months… and I couldn’t afford to do that again.”
Asked if he knows of any other would be downtown candidates plotting a campaign for the 2010 open seat, Black said: “I’ve been hearing from a lot of folks who are considering running, but I’m not going to contribute to the rumor mill.”
So far, the smart political money is on the progressive candidacies of Debra Walker and Jim Meko.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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The Hunger Site
August 27, 2009 at 1:00 pm
As much as I would not support Rob Black in the D6 race, his comments about “the last time I ran, I was unemployed for eight months… and I couldn’t afford to do that again” rings very true. It was the reason why I bowed out of the race myself.
August 27, 2009 at 12:12 pm
There has been an ongoing problem with the supe races in district six. The leading contenders end up representing either downtown corporate interests or the nonprofit political complex.
Practical-minded candidates who are devoted to improving the distrcit’s neighborhoods get left in the dust, which has cost the district dearly over the years.
I still regret that my friend, the late Hank Wilson, didn’t win when he ran for district-six supe in 2000. He was practical, lovable, articulate, forward-looking, and totally rooted in his neighborhood.