San Francisco voters are continuing to embrace the political center, signaling a vibe shift in a city long defined by its ultra-progressive policies.
According to a recent report from Politico, Mayor Daniel Lurie and his moderate allies have successfully constructed a powerful centrist political apparatus that is resonating with residents weary of the city’s “pandemic-era decline.”
“A key piece of the effort to advance Lurie’s political and policy agenda is Believe in SF, a nonprofit advocacy group that has quietly established itself as one of the most deeppocketed forces in San Francisco. Its PAC, one of several entities that make up the group’s operation, just raised nearly $1.8 million to back Lurie’s favored candidates and ballot measures in the city’s June primary,” Politico reported on Monday, calling it his “political machine.”
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A homeless encampment in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., on Thursday, April, 14, 2022. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“The results were decisive: two of Lurie’s moderate allies on the board of supervisors, Alan Wong and Stephen Sherrill, won competitive races by wide margins. And voters overwhelmingly rejected a union-led ballot measure — fervently opposed by Lurie — that would have raised taxes on large corporations with ‘overpaid CEOs,’” Politico reported.
Central to this shift is a massive influx of moderate campaign spending aimed at locking progressives out of power. Groups like Neighbors for a Better San Francisco—a business- and tech-backed advocacy organization—have poured millions of dollars into local contests to keep the city on a centrist course.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. (Getty Images)
The moderate streak has consolidated Lurie’s grip on local governance. Recent polling data from the San Francisco Chronicle reveals he enjoys a 74% approval rating, driven by voter optimism over downtown revitalization and cleaner neighborhoods.
Lurie, a moderate Democrat and heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, was elected in 2024 after soundly defeating incumbent London Breed. His victory capped off a multi-year voter revolt against lenient policies on crime, retail theft, drug markets, and homelessness that critics argue caused a severe quality-of-life crisis. The political transformation even caught the eye of President Donald Trump, who praised the city’s efforts to turn its trajectory around.
The political fallout for the city’s left wing has been decisive. In recent supervisor elections, moderate candidates successfully flipped key seats, securing lopsided wins over progressive incumbents.
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“It’s a winning streak that speaks to Lurie’s current grip on San Francisco politics, as he enjoys a sky-high approval rating of 74 percent, as well as the city’s pivot to the political center in recent years,” Politico reported.
Former San Francisco Mayor London Breed. (KTVU)
Lurie’s office did not immediately respond to Digital’s request for comment.
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