Mar 16, 2007

Hill will campaign for spot in Assembly

Democratic supervisor has support among local officials

By Will Oremus / Daily News Staff Writer

Calling himself a "proud Democrat," San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill kicked off his campaign for Gene Mullin's 19th District state Assembly seat in an event at the Ben Franklin Hotel in downtown San Mateo on Thursday evening.

Hill touched on a wide range of popular liberal themes, calling for affordable housing, universal health care, environmental protection and a living wage for workers. But the former Republican also emphasized his pragmatic bent with talk of "common-sense" solutions, transcending partisan politics and "keeping our economy strong and our businesses competitive."

With the 2008 Democratic primary a year away, Hill became the second person to declare his candidacy, following consumer activist Richard Holober. Millbrae City Council Member Gina Papan, who came in second to Mullin in the 2002 Democratic primary for the seat, has also publicly pondered a run but says it's too early to declare.

Holober, a San Mateo County Community College District board member, touts his advocacy experience in statewide politics and has an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer and the state teachers' and nurses' unions. Hill has a strong base of support among fellow local elected officials. On Wednesday he reminded his supporters that popular state politicians such as Jackie Speier and Gene Mullin also made the jump from local offices.

As the 120 or so politicos at the hotel sipped Sierra Nevada and San Pellegrino, influential Burlingame lawyer Joe Cotchett gave Hill a chummy introduction in which he tackled the former San Mateo mayor's Republican past head-on. He said Hill was an "anti-war peacenik" in his student days at UC Berkeley who originally joined the GOP in support of the liberal Bay Area Republican Pete McCloskey.

Local officials at the event seemed less interested in Hill's party politics than his reputation as a relationship builder. Current San Mateo Mayor Jack Matthews called Hill "courageous" for supporting the redevelopment of the Bay Meadows racetrack even though it was a politically charged issue.

Indeed, throughout the event a small group of Bay Meadows advocates protested outside the hotel on Third Avenue, noting Hill's role in facilitating the racetrack's planned demise.

Holober, who has campaigned against free trade agreements and for raising the minimum wage, describes himself as a "citizen activist" and an "authentic crusader for education and health care reform." He said Wednesday he will hold a kickoff event of his own "at the appropriate time."


E-mail Will Oremus at woremus@dailynewsgroup.com.