City labor and trade unions are favoring Jerry Brown instead of Gavin Newsom when it comes to donating cash to the ambitious politicians.
San Francisco unions gave the state attorney general $34,500 versus $10,500 for the mayor in the past year, with most coming in recent months.
The Democratic Brown has yet to officially declare himself a candidate for governor, but has been actively fundraising with greater success than Newsom, who made his formal announcement in April. Funds that Brown raises go to a possible campaign for the 2010 attorney general’s race, although that money could be shifted to a gubernatorial run if and when he makes the switch.
With 10 months left until the Democratic Primary, endorsements are a long way off and contributions are far from an endorsement. Unions such as the powerful San Francisco Police Officers Association can contribute to Brown without taking sides in the governor’s race — and they have, contributing $6,000 in December to Brown and another $2,500 in June.
“If and when the time comes that [Brown] announces for governor, we’ll choose our endorsement then,” union President Gary Delagnes said.
The reasoning is practically the same for San Francisco Bar Pilots, a group of about 60 well-paid ship pilots based at Pier 9. The group gave $5,000 to Brown’s campaign earlier this month. A spokesman for the group said the donation reflects a 30-year relationship with Brown and in no way is an endorsement.
Brown has also pulled in large donations from the union of San Francisco firefighters and electrical workers.
Although his efforts might not be paying off, literally, Newsom has done his best to show support for unions. In several well-publicized incidents, he refused to cross picket lines and at times has even joined protests.
Newsom’s largest donation from a San Francisco union to date is from Local 38. The plumbers’ union, led by Larry Mazzola, donated $5,000. However, the union also gave the same amount to Brown.
The mayor has also picked up smaller donations from San Francisco Painters’ Union Local 19, the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association and Laborers Local 36.
The largest San Francisco union, Service Employees International Union Local 1021, has yet to throw their money behind a candidate, according to campaign filing records.
Despite Newsom’s reputation in other parts of the nation as a West Coast liberal, in San Francisco he is considered business-friendly, according to Graeme Boushey, assistant professor of political science at San Francisco State University.
“The story is that Jerry Brown is popular with blue-collar working Democrats, that they feel more comfortable with him,” he said. “Donations from labor would seem to prove that theory.”
Attorney general stocked for future campaign
California Attorney General Jerry Brown released a financial report Thursday covering his past six months of fundraising. He reported bringing in about $8 million, with $3.4 million coming from the first six months of 2009.
He also touted the fact that he spent only a fraction of that money, leaving him with about $7.4 million. And since his campaign is technically for attorney general, he can only raise a quarter of what Newsom can. The maximum donation to attorney general is $6,500, but the cap for governor is $24,900 per election cycle.
Newsom, whose financial report has yet to be made public, reported earlier this month that his campaign had about $1.1 million on hand after raising a total of about $2.8 million.
Financial backing from city unions
San Francisco unions are pouring monetary support behind California Attorney General Jerry Brown instead of Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Jerry Brown
San Francisco Police Officers Association $8,500
Electrical Workers Local 6 $10,000
San Francisco Bar Pilots $5,000
San Francisco Firefighters Local 798 $6,000
Plumbers’ Local 38 (also to Newsom) $5,000
Total $34,500
Gavin Newsom
San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association $1,000
San Francisco Painters’ Union Local 19 $3,000
Laborers Local 36 $1,000
IATSE Local 16 Stagehands Union $500
Plumbers’ Local 38 (also to Brown) $5,000
Total $10,500
Source: Campaign filings
