Bay Area

On the Road to the Senate, Barbara Lee Celebrates Her Birthday with Sandré Swanson

With beautiful views of the skyline in the background Congresswoman Barbara Lee, U.S. Senate candidate, celebrated her birthday earlier this week at a fundraising reception hosted by Keith Uriarte and Linda Dittes in the Oakland hills.

Published

2 years ago

July 25, 2023

Oakland Post

Congresswoman and U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Lee joins Sandré Swanson, her former chief of staff in Washington and California State Senate candidate on her birthday at a fundraiser for both of their campaigns in the Oakland hills last weekend. Photo by A. Swanson.

By Post Staff

Joining Lee was her former chief of staff and California State Senate candidate, Sandré R. Swanson. Swanson said, “I am actively and enthusiastically supporting Congresswoman Lee for her historic run to represent California as our Senator in our United States Capitol.”

Lee and former Assemblymember Swanson have a very long history. As young activists, Lee and Swanson met while working on the California presidential campaign of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. They both worked for Congressman Ronald V. Dellums for many years serving the Bay Area communities.

Lee’s distinguished and successful legislative career included her election to the California Assembly and the California State Senate before serving in the U.S. Congress.

After serving as Lee’s chief of staff in Washington, Swanson was elected to the California Assembly. There, Swanson represented Oakland, Alameda and Piedmont and served as the celebrated chair of the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee.

Now, these lifelong friends are both running in campaigns to make a mark in history for their community. Lee is running to become the only African American woman in the U.S. Senate and would be only the third in history to accomplish that if she wins.

If elected, Swanson would become the only African American in the California State Senate from Northern California.

Both will appear on the March 5, 2024, presidential primary ballot next year. If elected, Lee would serve in Washington, D.C., and Swanson would serve in the California State Capitol in Sacramento.

More information about these historic campaigns can be found at www.barbaraleeforca.com and www.sandreswanson.net.