Aaron Peskin, a figure known for his opposition to housing development and a key player in the NIMBY movement, has announced his candidacy for Mayor of San Francisco at Portsmouth Square, aiming to reshape the city's political landscape. Peskin, who has a controversial history of blocking development projects, is positioning himself as a candidate of recovery and unity, promising to address public safety, housing, and to overcome his past struggles with alcohol abuse. His campaign, which has garnered attention from the Chinese community and political activists, has sparked a broad range of reactions. Critics label him as a NIMBY advocate responsible for the city's housing crisis, while supporters see his run as a potential for change. The announcement signals a significant moment in the upcoming mayoral race, where Peskin will face off against other candidates, including Mayor Breed, who has criticized his approach to housing and development.
“I want to repudiate the politics of blaming other people. We blame the judges … We blame the nonprofits.” They all deserve blame @AaronPeskin — as do YOU 🫵 the longest serving supervisor in City Hall history. #OutOfTouchMuch ? 🙄 https://t.co/UhfuFlAnVD
After months of hinting at it, Supervisor Aaron Peskin confirms he’s entering the mayor’s race tomorrow. Here’s what he had to say about public safety, housing and his own recovery from an alcohol addiction. My latest in the @nytimes: https://t.co/hv3WRt1jTR
This you @AaronPeskin? For someone so obsessed with "blaming" you sure have a bad habit of blaming CA housing law for San Francisco's (and your) failure to address our housing shortage which has priced out countless people over the last decade: https://t.co/I3kwhbGdG1 https://t.co/hBKLKKuepK https://t.co/zP4p2u2Ok2
"Many of San Francisco’s voters weren’t here during Peskin’s earlier, boozier, not-kinder and gentler years; they haven’t heard this tale. Peskin would prefer to be the one to tell it." By @EskSF https://t.co/u6aH83Kmp5
Aaron Peskin says in confirming his mayoral campaign that Mayor Breed's administration is "largely driven by press" and is not "being run maturely." Breed's campaign says she'll "put her record up against Aaron Peskin's, any day of the week." https://t.co/LVOvjlA3Mw
“Our highest elected leaders and most of the candidates in this race have been busy blaming — you name it — the Board of Supervisors, judges, nonprofits [and] the progressives rather than taking responsibility,” @AaronPeskin told KQED. More: https://t.co/15Yn0FaoXp
Just stopped by the Aaron Peskin rally https://t.co/VfhYBGIZWm
NEW: Peskin tells @thejdmorris as he enters the race he'd be a mayor who “loves the city and doesn't beat up on it for cynical political gain.” Farrell: “Peskin is abusive, toxic and a documented obstructionist." Breed: Peskin wants a "NIMBY state." https://t.co/bClG5g49hR
JUST IN: Aaron Peskin is running for mayor. Peskin sells himself as "a man in recovery to lead a city in need of one." Will voters buy that? via @EskSF https://t.co/pq4mAJJG2a
Breed gains another rival in competitive San Francisco mayoral race https://t.co/Ysh4VJBgJp https://t.co/Ysh4VJBgJp
Sing Tao Daily's full-page exclusive with @AaronPeskin on his mayoral campaign: He said he deeply loves the city so he decided to run. He recovered from alcohol abuse & realized that divisiveness, anger & revenge are wrong. And he can unite everyone. He also wants more police. https://t.co/iYlZTQTqej
Congrats on the victory to @AaronPeskin, who delayed this project until it eventually just died. He is so good at operating just on this side of the law. If only his creativity could be harnessed for building housing rather than preserving valet parking. https://t.co/INvy58MZyi
We recently wrote about @AaronPeskin's political and policy record and how his candidacy reshapes San Francisco's mayor's race. In case you missed it, https://t.co/K7M5WqyLNB @harveymilkclub @uniteddemclubsf @TheFrisc
Go to the counter rally against this selfish NIMBY boomer A San Francisco run by Aaron Peskin will be an SF that will become worse than the bombed out husk of apocalyptic Detroit at its worst https://t.co/F5AhuRpK6k https://t.co/vEJgfjaV07
San Francisco mayor’s progressive archrival jumps into the race https://t.co/SratyLGBuB
This has been going on in North Beach for decades because of …🥁… Aaron Peskin, his wife and their bullying NIMBY group the @THDwellers — here’s a 2014 story I wrote about them stopping a guy from opening a bar and restaurant in his family’s building. ⬇️ https://t.co/Uh0V5iCuHJ https://t.co/e0cG9Ahge2
I will hold my pro-housing record & policy platform up against anyone in this race. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, & I guess I should be flattered that Mayor Breed adjusted her housing proposal to more closely mirror my smart growth housing plan for San Francisco. https://t.co/IF3KVHNOwv
Good piece from @MikeEge that I just got around to reading today: "Peskin became known for using that power primarily to block development projects he and his close constituents did not like." https://t.co/2dZXooGBMU https://t.co/ttN3YALDYv
Read this thread on the history of the bullying Aaron Peskin has done in office and then sit back and watch his campaign launch go about as well as The Phoenix Project's launch did. 🤣 https://t.co/uCbIhMDySz
“Aaron Peskin has a long track record of opposing housing and trying to freeze our city in amber—much to the detriment of everyday San Franciscans,” Now watch so-called Progressives fly to him like a moth to a flame. https://t.co/jfcabGIuF5
BREAKING: The Standard has confirmed with multiple political activists, retired leaders and Chinese community members that Peskin has invited them to a rally at Portsmouth Square to kick off his mayoral campaign. https://t.co/1pOdpMfOoh
From @Josh_Koehn @lihanlihan Aaron Peskin to announce run for San Francisco mayor in Chinatown, sources say https://t.co/eg2fS9T4N8
Dean is a key reason why San Francisco is in a housing crisis. He is the linchpin of the NIMBY movement in SF and champions regressive housing legislation! Dean would blush at policies that real housing progressives would implement in his city to fix the housing crisis. https://t.co/9eI7wPfYWW