City Government

Schaaf Sweeps Mayoral Race

Published

12 years ago

November 5, 2014

Oakland Mayor-elect Libby Schaaf is celebrating an overwhelming victory in a hot campaign with 14 other candidates, including a handful that were well funded.

Though ballots are still being counted, Mayor Jean Quan and Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan have conceded defeat. As of Thursday, the vote council shows Schaaf with 63.05 percent of votes, Kaplan coming in second with 36.95 percent and Quan third, followed by Joe Tuman and Dan Siegel.

Surrounded by her supporters, Schaaf expressed her gratitude to the people of Oakland for their support and shared her vision for a “new direction for this city” at a press conference Wednesday at the amphitheater at Lake Merritt.

“To all the people that worked on campaigns across this city, thank you for having political passion, thank you for caring about your city. I am going to need you to support the work that now has to be done in this city,” she said.

(left to right) Conway Jones, a veteran of the arts, with Libby Schaaf at the press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014. Photo by Ashley Chambers.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do starting right now,” she added.

Her first priority as mayor is ensuring safety in the city.

“We need more police, but we also need better policing,” she said. “We need to invest in successful intervention and prevention programs and also go after those root causes of crime, and that’s jobs and better wages.”

“Government is not broken; government can be better, it can deliver better services, it can be more responsive to the people it serves, but no it is not broken,” said Schaaf, who was endorsed by former mayor Governor Brown.

Schaaf was enthusiastic about the passing of Measure FF, which will give minimum wage workers a raise to $12.25 an hour, a measure she supported during her campaign.

She has not yet decided on her leadership staff as mayor but says she will hire a city administrator that is both professional and inspirational. She also attributed her success in the race to her background as an Oakland native and the work she’s done over the years.

Quan called Schaaf to offer her support and issued a public statement:

“I pledge to help carry that work forward and collaborate with the Mayor-elect,” she said. “We will do everything we can to ensure a seamless transition as we rededicate ourselves to making Oakland a safer, more prosperous home for residents of every neighborhood. Oakland is a city where every child can reach her dreams, and we all rise together.”

“I have been proud to be Oakland’s first woman and Asian-American mayor and I thank Oaklanders for the opportunity to bring the city through these tough times,” she said.

Kaplan also issued a concession statement:

“I’m proud to congratulate Mayor-elect Libby Schaaf on her incredibly well-fought campaign to move Oakland forward. Mayor-elect Schaaf and I share a deep and profound commitment to making Oakland stronger, safer and more prosperous. We’ll together represent the entire city, and I’m excited to partner with her on a wide variety of ways to improve the city that she and I both love.”

Oakland artist Bruce Beasley said, “Libby’s overwhelming mandate will provide her with the support to fulfill her commitments on police, jobs and community development.”

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IN MEMORIAM: Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73

Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73 Caption: Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo. Special to The Post Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love i

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo.

Special to The Post

Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love in the comfort of her home. To her children, she was royalty, grace, strength, and unconditional love embodied.

Debra Diane Edgar was born on May 28, 1952, in San Francisco, California, to Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar. She was raised alongside her younger brother, Charles Edgar Jr., affectionately known as “Little Brother” or “Lil Bruh.” She also shared close bonds with her older siblings Carol Edgar-Lang, Maryann Edgar Calloway, and Lonnie Lewis Sr.

A proud product of San Francisco’s historic Fillmore District, Debra attended Andrew Jackson Elementary School, where she met her lifelong best friend and adopted sister, Lynn Green, in the fifth grade. She later attended Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High School and Thomas Jefferson High School.

Debra’s mother transitioned when she was only 17 years old, and her father transitioned when she was 23. Despite these profound losses, Debra remained grounded through the love and support of extended family and lifelong family friends,

In 1971, she married Harold King. On Sept. 24, 1972, they welcomed their first son, Dajuan Artese King, affectionately called “Pop” or “Poppa.” On Aug. 5, 1976, they welcomed their second son, Dante Dupree King, affectionately called “Tay” or “Taboocoo the Baby.”

After her divorce in 1982, Debra assumed full responsibility for raising her sons.

She supported Dajuan’s passion for football by purchasing sports equipment and attending games faithfully. She supported Dante’s love of music by enrolling him in the San Francisco Boys Choir, Oakland Boys Choir, and the Castlemont Castleers.

Professionally, Debra built an exceptional career. She worked at Blue Shield of California from 1973 until 1994, earning multiple promotions.

She later joined the Oakland Unified School District, initially in a temporary role before being promoted into management within the Labor Relations Department. She retired from OUSD in 2015 after years of distinguished service. During her years at OUSD, she built meaningful friendships with her colleagues.

Faith was central to Debra’s life. During the 1980s, following personal hardship, she joined Love Center Church under the leadership of Bishop Walter Hawkins, where she brought her children regularly. She later became a member of Triumphant: A Church Without Walls Ministries under Pastor Dr. Larry Short, who became a beloved spiritual mentor.

After Triumphant closed in 1992, Debra joined Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in Oakland under the leadership of Pastor Larry Ashley, where she remained for the rest of her life.

At Cosmopolitan, she worked in numerous ministries. She served on the usher board, sang in the choir, participated in the AIDS ministry during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, helped feed and support unhoused community members, and mentored and supported a group of young girls.

After retirement, she cared for older adults in her church community, driving them to appointments, cleaning their homes, managing finances, preparing meals, and helping families navigate funeral arrangements after loved ones transitioned.

Even while battling Stage 4 cancer herself, she continued caring for others.

Debra was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar; her brothers, Lonnie Lewis Sr. and Charles Edgar Jr.; her sisters, Maryann Edgar Calloway and Victoria Stephenson Knight; and her adopted mother, Clara Oliver.

She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved sons, Dajuan King and Dante King; grandson, Tiyler Dajuan Artese King; sister, Carol Edgar-Lang; goddaughters Monique Belle and Ricketa Matthews Jones (Leonard); daughter-in-love Quiona Sullivan; son-in-love Marcel Walker; sister-in-law Delores Lewis; adopted sisters and lifelong friends Lynn Green, Barbara Stephenson Hill, and Sarah Fine; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, extended family members, her church family and dear friends.