Dan and deliver: Lurie wins another round with voters
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Mayor Daniel Lurie. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images
San Francisco voters handed Mayor Daniel Lurie a sweeping victory Tuesday, overwhelmingly backing his efforts to reshape City Hall and giving the city's moderate political movement another boost.
Why it matters: The results underscore San Francisco's continued shift away from progressive politics, while giving Lurie tangible political momentum less than two years into his first term.
Driving the news: Voters overwhelmingly supported Lurie's three "Clean Up City Hall" measures — Propositions D, E and F — which will make it harder to place initiatives on the ballot, streamline city contracting and expand mayoral authority, respectively.
- The Muni funding measure, Prop. H, also passed, while Lurie-backed candidates, including Theo Ellington in District 10 and Alan Wong in District 4, look strong in initial vote counts.
The big picture: The victories continue a years-long political realignment in San Francisco, where progressives have increasingly found themselves on the defensive as voters prioritize public safety, government efficiency and economic recovery.
What they're saying: Jason McDaniel, a political science professor at San Francisco State University, cautions against interpreting the results solely as a victory for wealthy corporate interests.
- "I think it's billionaires backing issues that the voters want," McDaniel told Axios, arguing that Lurie has successfully brought tech executives, business leaders and labor unions together around policies with broad public appeal.
- He pointed to the passage of two Muni funding measures, which raised taxes to support public transit, as an example of how Lurie's coalition extends beyond traditional business interests.
Zoom in: McDaniel said Lurie's popularity also reflects his ability to work with supervisors, including those who don't necessarily share his political ideology — cooperation that has helped him build a stronger governing coalition than his predecessor London Breed.
The other side: Progressive critics argue the charter reforms concentrate too much power in the mayor's office and in the hands of billionaire-backed interests, while making it harder for grassroots groups to advance ballot measures.
- Questions also remain about whether the changes will meaningfully address the city's deepening cost-of-living crisis.
What he's saying: "San Franciscans have chosen progress over the politics of the past and accountability over excuses," Lurie said in a statement.
- His administration says it plans to use its expanded authority to accelerate permitting, reorganize departments and reduce government inefficiencies through charter reform efforts.
The bottom line: Lurie now has more power to deliver on his promises, but also fewer places to shift the blame if things go wrong.