Richmond City Council member and former Mayor Gayle McLaughlin has formally announced as a candidate for California Lieutenant Governor in 2018. Based on a media search, at least ten other individuals have announced their candidacy or opened fund-raising committees

• Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles)
• Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Glendale)
• Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco)
• Sen. Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres)
• Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina)
• former Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento)
• GOP Rep. Jeff Denham of the Central Valley
• Los Angeles physician Asif Mahmood, a Democrat
• Eleni Kounalakis, a major Democratic Party donor and former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary
• Jeff Bleich (Democratic) - Attorney

Following is Gayle McLaughlin’s announcement posted yesterday:

Please see the press release below sent out earlier today about my decision to run for Lieutenant Governor of California 2018.  I am excited to be embarking on this new endeavor.  Also please check out my announcement video here and my campaign website www.GayleforCalifornia.org . 

For a Better California,
Gayle
--------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact Person:   Juan Reardon
Company Name:  Gayle McLaughlin for Lt. Governor 2018
Voice Phone Number:  510-984-6536 
Email:  Gayle@gayleforcalifornia.org   
Website: www.GayleforCalifornia.org 

Former Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin 
to Run for Lt. Governor of California

Richmond, California, June 6, 2017 -  

The former mayor of Richmond, California, Gayle McLaughlin, announced today that she is running for the office of Lieutenant Governor of California with the goals of "putting people first, organizing corporate-free local groups throughout the state, and giving the voters the choice of a corporate-free candidate." 

McLaughlin, called the Bernie Sanders of the East Bay, pledged not to accept any money from corporations for her campaign and to only represent the interests of working people.

"Corporations have all the advantages and too much influence in California's government. This has serious consequences for our communities, cities, counties, and schools and hospitals. Corporate perks starve regular working families of the resources they need," said Gayle McLaughlin.

"The big companies of California need to be regulated into behaving as good neighbors and paying their fair share of taxes. And this cannot happen when the whole political establishment is taking in corporate money by the truck-load, directly and mostly indirectly through corporate PACs and loading the parties' coffers."

"Change did not happen in CADEM-Sacramento in 2017, and we, the progressive forces of our state need to continue building from below, changing the mind-set of candidates and voters, reminding all that elected officials cannot serve well both the people and the corporations. Corporate money is both toxic and addictive. Our democracy needs to get clean and sober."

McLaughlin says that throughout her grassroots campaign, and later as Lt. Governor, she will support the struggles of the people of California, build progressive coalitions, promote progressive policies, and mobilize all Californians of good will, regardless of party affiliation, who are willing to transform the state. 

McLaughlin supports single-payer universal health care coverage, developing affordable housing for working families, and keeping good renters in their homes with a fair rent control law.

She wants a California oil severance tax, a true millionaires tax, and to eliminate the corporate loopholes of Proposition 13.

"Proposition 13 is for the benefit of our seniors and working families, not for mega-corporations who pay today the same taxes they paid 40 years ago," she said adding that, "Closing these loopholes will generate the money we need to make public schools in California number one in the nation again."

McLaughlin also said that she opposes the privatization of public schools and wants public colleges to be free for all Californians.

She sees her role of Lt. Governor as one who "keeps an eye on corporate lobbyists, and on the members of the legislature and the executive branch who are addicted to corporate money."

McLaughlin defines herself as a corporate-free Berniecrat who was a Green Party member and was elected and re-elected Mayor of Richmond CA without taking any corporate money. She switched to No Party Preference (NPP) to vote for and support Bernie Sanders for President in the 2016 California primary, and she hopes to vote for Bernie Sanders again in 2020.

McLaughlin is a founder of the Richmond Progressive Alliance (2003) and was elected to City Council in 2004. She was elected mayor in 2006 running against an incumbent establishment-democrat and a Chevron controlled city council.

McLaughlin led Richmond through a remarkable transformation, reducing homicides 75% in 8 years, forced Chevron to pay on average an additional $7.5 million in taxes per year for 15 years, promoted Community Choice Aggregation for utilities with 85% of homeowners and businesses now receiving greener and cheaper energy, increased the minimum wage, passed the first rent control law in California in 30 years, and challenged abusive bankers by promoting the idea of using the city eminent domain  powers to keep homeowners in their homes during the foreclosure crisis.

McLaughlin was re-elected Mayor of Richmond in 2010 and having termed out, in 2014 she ran for City Council with the progressive slate "Team Richmond" which defeated a $3 million opposition move funded by Chevron.

Bernie Sanders endorsed McLaughlin and Team Richmond in 2014. In 2016 her organization, the Richmond Progressive Alliance, won two additional seats on the City Council for a supermajority of five corporate-free progressives out of seven councilmembers.

She is currently responding to calls from many progressive groups in cities throughout the state and beyond who are asking her and the Richmond Progressive Alliance to share the ideas which made Richmond's transformation under her leadership a success.

For more information visit: www.gayleforcalifornia.org 

For press coverage of previous years (2007-2017)

visit: www.gayleforcalifornia.org/gm_media_2007_2016 

For more information, contact:  Gayle@gayleforcalifornia.org      

Press Office   http://www.gayleforcalifornia.org/