Alameda County
Barbara Lee Releases Statement on Possible Run for Mayor of Oakland
Already, her backers are organizing to urge her to run for the position left vacant by the recall of former Mayor Sheng Thao, which became effective on Dec. 17. At present, Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas is serving temporarily as mayor.
By Ken Epstein
Questions continue to swirl in Oakland and throughout the Bay Area over the possibility that Congresswoman Barbara Lee might run for mayor of Oakland after she leaves Congress in January.
Already, her backers are organizing to urge her to run for the position left vacant by the recall of former Mayor Sheng Thao, which became effective on Dec. 17.
At present, Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas is serving temporarily as mayor.
Lee is already meeting with city leaders and learning more about the major issues facing the city. In a social media post on Dec. 20, she released a statement clarifying her timeline for making a decision.
“The decision to run for Mayor of Oakland, a city that I have long called home, is not one I take lightly,” she said.
“As my time in Congress wraps up, my current priority is navigating the crisis before us in DC. I am working around the clock to reach a deal that will keep our government open and provide crucial resources for my district,” she continued.
“I will announce my intentions in early January,” Congresswoman Lee said.
