Supervisor Avalos To Join Crowded San Francisco Mayor's Race
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos planned to declare a run for mayor Monday afternoon, becoming the latest candidate to enter the crowded race.
Avalos confirmed by text message Monday morning that he planned to go to the Department of Elections at City Hall in the afternoon to pull the papers to run for mayor in November.
The supervisor said in a statement that he decided to run after discussing the matter with friends and family over the past few months.
"It was a decision I could not make alone," Avalos said in a statement. "I am in awe of the commitment of my citywide community and their trust in me. I have a burning desire to make this great city an even better place, and I am going to bring this passion to the office of mayor."
KCBS' Barbara Taylor Reports:
He joins an already crowded field of candidates that includes state Sen. Leland Yee, Supervisor David Chiu, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, City Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting, and former supervisors Bevan Dufty, Michela Alioto-Pier and Tony Hall.
Avalos is supervisor of District 11 in the southern part of the city. He was born in Southern California and moved to San Francisco in 1989, where he worked as an English teacher and cafe worker before becoming involved in human services and community organizing.
He worked as a legislative aide for former Supervisor Chris Daly before being elected as a supervisor himself in 2008.
Avalos, considered one of the more progressive supervisors, authored the local hiring ordinance that was approved by the board in December and went into effect last month.
Avalos planned to be joined by his wife, Karen Zapata, a San Francisco Unified School District teacher, when he formally "pulled" papers for his run.
(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)
