State Senator Mark Leno Announces 2019 Run For San Francisco Mayor

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- State Sen. Mark Leno on Thursday announced that he plans to run for mayor of San Francisco, making him the first person to announce his candidacy for the 2019 election.

Leno, a former city supervisor and Assemblyman, announced his candidacy Thursday at San Francisco City Hall, saying he planned to "lead with a progressive vision for our city, grounded in a commitment to affordability and civil rights."

"At this time of great change, we must preserve a fair living standard for San Francisco's middle and working classes while protecting social and economic justice," he said in a statement. "As mayor, I'll fight on behalf of regular San Franciscans -- immigrants, tenants, homeowners, and small businesses. I promise to give a voice to every resident of our city especially to those who feel marginalized or left behind."

Leno has already secured the backing of a number of prominent officials.

His list of endorsements includes U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, Board of Equalization Member Fiona Ma, State Controller Betty Yee, state Assemblyman Phil Ting and Supervisors Aaron Peskin, Ahsha Safai and Norman Yee, as well as Public Defender Jeff Adachi.

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