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Micki Weinberg, we hardly knew you. The UC Berkeley sophomore was one of seven City Council candidates to come up short Election Day. But as this year’s crop of overmatched and outspent longshots counted their losses, most took defeat with a stiff upper lip and an endearing sense of humor. 

“I didn’t really ever think I was going to win,” said 4th District candidate Bob Migdal, who garnered 20 percent of the vote compared to Dona Spring’s 67 percent. 

When told last week by a Spring supporter that she had been working 12 hours a day for three months on the campaign, he said reality set in. 

“I don’t want it that much,” Migdal said. “I don’t have it in me.” 

Still the disappointment of losing in Berkeley’s cut-throat political circus can leave scars. 

“I didn’t have to travel to the Congo to see the heart of darkness,” said Weinberg who managed 39 percent of the vote in a surprisingly nasty race against Councilmember Kriss Worthington in the 7th District. 

LA Wood, who like Migdal trailed far behind Dona Spring, expressed frustration with the entrenched support enjoyed by sitting council members. 

“I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to unseat an incumbent,” Wood said. “It was wishful thinking.” 

Berkeley politics has never been conventional, but the power of incumbency is as strong on the council as it is elsewhere in the nation. In the past two City Council elections incumbents have won six out seven contested seats. 

Norene Smith who ran an unsuccessful bid in 2000 to unseat Betty Olds in District 6 now muses on the difficulty of running an insurgent campaign. “She outspent me $38,000 to $7,000 and, let me tell you, after all her beautiful glossy mailings, if I weren’t an informed voter I would have voted for Betty too,” she said. 

“I tried ringing door bells, but in [hilly] District 6 I had to climb up 85 stairs and then the person doesn’t answer,” she added. 

This year’s candidates experienced many of the same frustrations. “I learned it’s very hard to run against two established machines,” said Anne Wagley who finished third behind the moderate and progressive candidates in the 8th District. 

Wagley spoke for most of the candidates when she expressed relief that the campaign was finally over. “I’ll be having dinner with my family tonight,” she said noting that making personal time for loved ones hadn’t been easy during the past few months. 

But, she and others said they plan to stay active in Berkeley politics. 

“I’m winding up not slowing down,” said LA Wood who said he will remain a fixture at City Council meetings. Still, despite his disappointment at losing, he acknowledged there was some upside to defeat.  

“It will be nice to still be able to go home [from council meetings] at a reasonable hour and indulge in my own passions. We have so little time,” he said. 

Contact reporter at matt@ 

berkeleydailyplanet.net