Oakland Tribune Endorsement Completes Sweep for Tony Thurmond in AD-14

May 28, 2008 8:07 AM

May 28, 2008 – The Oakland Tribune endorses Tony Thurmond for Assembly in District 14, rounding out a sweep of all the major newspapers in the district. The San Francisco Chronicle, Contra Costa Times, East Bay Express and Richmond Globe all endorsed Thurmond earlier this week.

They join an impressive roster of endorsers including East Bay elected officials Congressman George Miller, State Senator Tom Torlakson, Assemblymembers Mark DeSaulnier and Sandré Swanson, Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson and Contra Costa Supervisor Susan Bonilla.

Endorsing Thurmond, the San Francisco Chronicle wrote:

"...Our choice is Tony Thurmond, a 39-year-old Richmond City Council member who is executive director of a nonprofit group that helps former foster youth make the transition to independent living. Thurmond combines a solid grasp of issues facing the state with an on-the-ground sense of what policies on education, violence, health care, and parole programs and housing mean to a community. He is both passionate and practical about finding solutions, a perspective that is needed in Sacramento. He is also impatient. "Forty youths lost their lives in Richmond last year," he said. "I'm not going to wait for someone to tell me it's my turn." His turn should come on June 3."

The Contra Costa Times wrote:

...The candidate for the seat in Assembly District 14 who impresses us most is Richmond City Councilman Tony Thurmond, who has overcome personal challenges to be a leading advocate on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged...As executive director of the nonprofit Beyond Emancipation, Thurmond and his group helped Alameda County foster youths make the transition to adulthood...It's that sort of community activism - not just talking the talk, but walking the walk - that prepared Thurmond well for the Richmond City Council and makes him a strong candidate for the state Assembly.

Buoyed by powerful endorsements and strong grassroots support, Thurmond has emerged as a strong contender in the 14th District race in recent weeks. The race is one of the Bay Area's most competitive in the June 3 primary.