With 12 people now running to replace Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, developments in the race are fast and furious.
Tony Thurmond
Posted inCity
With Tony Thurmond’s decision not to seek re-election, race for the AD15 seat is getting crowded
An open seat for Assembly District 15 has already attracted five candidates. More are sure to jump into the 2018 race.
Posted inCity, Community, Crime & Safety
Berkeley town hall examines race, police relations
More than five weeks after Berkeley police used tear gas, smoke bombs, and over the shoulder baton strikes to control a crowd protesting the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, the City Council held a meeting Saturday to examine community relations with police. More than 200 people gathered in the atrium of the Ed […]
Posted inCity
Tony Thurmond victorious in 15th District Assembly race
Tony Thurmond, a former Richmond city councilman, is driving up to Sacramento today to start his orientation as one of the state’s newest Assemblymen. Thurmond won a resounding victory Tuesday in the race for the District 15 Assembly seat. He garnered 54.3% of the vote while his opponent, Elizabeth Echols, got 45.7% of the vote. […]
Posted inCity
A record $3.6 million spent in Berkeley campaigns
2014 will go down in history as the most expensive election ever held in Berkeley, with around $3.6 million spent on two ballot items alone. The two items — Measure D, which would levy a 1-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks, and Measure R, which would substantially strengthen the environmental requirements for tall buildings in downtown Berkeley […]
Posted inCity
Outside money, solar funds in Assembly campaigns
Big outside money is playing a large role in California legislative races this year, and the East Bay is not immune to the trend. Independent Expenditure committees have donated $265,600 so far in support of State Assembly District 15 candidate Tony Thurmond, a former Richmond city council member and $150,775 to his opponent, Elizabeth Echols, […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley 2014 election hub: What you need to know
Absentee ballots have arrived and the November 2014 election is just around the corner. Berkeleyside has been covering the issues for months, and we’ve collected some of our best Berkeley election coverage in a single post to help readers get informed before they cast their votes. Browse Berkeleyside’s 2014 election coverage. Berkeley has several council seats up […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: Big Tobacco and Big Oil have no place in Berkeley politics
If you’ve lived and voted in Berkeley for a long time, as I have, you’ve no doubt noticed that our election campaigns typically pit one Democrat against another with nary any interest from anyone outside the East Bay. Now that has changed. For the first time ever, two “independent expenditure” committees, or PACs, have already […]
Posted inCity
Once-courteous 15th Assembly campaign turns negative
The two candidates in a competitive state Assembly race had the chance to woo Berkeley voters at a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters at Berkeley City College on Tuesday. Elizabeth Echols and Tony Thurmond are vying to fill the District 15 seat that will be vacated by Nancy Skinner. Elected in 2008, […]
Posted inOpinion, Schools
Op-ed: Standing up for student mental health
KQED recently reported that students in the University of California system are struggling to get critical mental health services. Even at UC Berkeley, demand is at an all-time high and health directors are raising a red flag, asking for more staffing and funding. Over the last six years, the number of students seeking help increased […]
Posted inCity, Events
Assembly race: Echols, Thurmond to debate in Berkeley
One of the most hotly contested seats in the Nov. 4 election is the race for Assembly District 15. Nancy Skinner, who has held the seat for six years, is termed out of office and is stepping down. The battle for the vacant seat pits two Democrats against one another – Tony Thurmond, a former […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley’s influence on Assembly race takes a twist
By Kate Darby Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s primary election for the District 15 Assembly seat, history is in the making in Berkeley. For the first time in several decades, this assembly race doesn’t include a candidate with direct ties to Berkeley City Hall, though one has garnered a slate of endorsements from familiar faces […]