Former Rep. Barbara Lee hints at potential run for Oakland mayor
Oakland has its third mayor in three weeks, and a big name politician is poised to try to take the job next.
Longtime Representative Barbara Lee, who just left Congress, seems ready to announce that she will run to replace recalled Mayor Sheng Thao.
For now, the interim mayor of Oakland is Kevin Jenkins, a young city councilmember and former Peralta College Board trustee, who was unanimously elected temporary mayor by the newly seated Council. That makes veteran councilmember Noal Gallo council president while Jenkins serves as Mayor, until the city can hold a special election in April. Sheng Thao stepped down three weeks ago after she was recalled by voters. Then council president Nikki Fortunato Bas acted as mayor for three weeks before moving to her new seat on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Now it’s Jenkins’ turn.
A complicated and confusing sequence of events, and it isn’t over yet, because Oakland will get its fourth mayor in the span of four months when someone is elected in April to finish Thao’s term. Who will that person be? It’s looking more likely that it will be Barbara Lee.
For more, KCBS Radio news anchors Patti Reising and Bret Burkhart spoke with KCBS Radio political reporter Doug Sovern.
Longtime Representative Barbara Lee, who just left Congress, seems ready to announce that she will run to replace recalled Mayor Sheng Thao.
For now, the interim mayor of Oakland is Kevin Jenkins, a young city councilmember and former Peralta College Board trustee, who was unanimously elected temporary mayor by the newly seated Council. That makes veteran councilmember Noal Gallo council president while Jenkins serves as Mayor, until the city can hold a special election in April. Sheng Thao stepped down three weeks ago after she was recalled by voters. Then council president Nikki Fortunato Bas acted as mayor for three weeks before moving to her new seat on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Now it’s Jenkins’ turn.
A complicated and confusing sequence of events, and it isn’t over yet, because Oakland will get its fourth mayor in the span of four months when someone is elected in April to finish Thao’s term. Who will that person be? It’s looking more likely that it will be Barbara Lee.
For more, KCBS Radio news anchors Patti Reising and Bret Burkhart spoke with KCBS Radio political reporter Doug Sovern.
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