Public Comment

Tony Thurmond, former Richmond City Councilmember and school board member, announced today that Berkeley City Councilman Jesse Arreguin has shifted his endorsement from his opponent's to his own campaign for State Assembly. 

The move accelerates the momentum Thurmond has been building in Berkeley, his opponent's home city. In addition to Congressman George Miller, Attorney General Kamala Harris, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, California's teachers, firefighters and nurses, Arreguin joins Berkeley City Councilmembers Max Anderson and Kriss Worthington, former Berkeley Mayors Gus Newport and Shirley Dean, and former Berkeley City Councilmembers Miriam Hawley and Ying Lee – the first and only Asian American to serve on the Council. Berkeley School Board President Josh Daniels and Michele Lawrence, former Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent, also endorse Thurmond. 

This news also comes on the heels of UFCW Local 5's recent announcement that it also has shifted from a dual to a sole endorsement for Tony Thurmond. 

Thurmond said, "I'm honored to have Councilman Arreguin's support. He knows that when it comes to improving our schools, protecting our environment and creating good paying jobs, there's no candidate in this race with better experience." 

"I have a real record on issues that matter most to this district and the state. From reducing truancy and ensuring more kids are prepared for college, to reducing crime and creating green job training programs like solar installations, which I helped create, I will bring this proven track record of leadership to Sacramento." 

With just forty-five days until Election Day and with a powerful field campaign unmatched by his opponent, the tidal wave of support has positioned Tony Thurmond as the front-runner. 

Tony Thurmond has: 

• Raised 30 percent more than his opponent in the last fundraising period.
• Won the endorsement of the Contra Costa Times and Oakland Tribune – the major news organization in the district.
• Won the endorsements of Alameda County Supervisors Keith Carson, Wilma Chan and Scott Haggerty – in addition to Pamela Price, Sam Kang and Clarence Hunt – all the major candidates in the primary election who did not advance to the runoff.
• A narrow lead according to a recent poll by Oakland-based EMC Research and more room to grow his share of the vote.

Thurmond has served as a member of the Richmond City Council and the West Contra Costa County Board of Education. He currently works at the Lincoln Child Center and has been active in CEO Youth, an innovative program working to improve school attendance and reduce dropout rates. Previously, Thurmond served as Executive Director of Beyond Emancipation, a non-profit that provides oversight and mentoring to help former foster youth make successful transitions into adulthood.  

See his growing endorsement list at www.TonyThurmond.com/endorsements.