Frustration with 'street chaos' leads to removal of another mayor in a blue city
San Francisco’s London Breed joins a series of Democratic mayors who are grappling with significant reelection challenges stemming from voters' worries about crime and street conditions.
TroibNews 
SAN FRANCISCO — London Breed is set to join a growing cohort of Democratic mayors who have been ousted by voters dissatisfied with their cities' challenges in the aftermath of the pandemic.
In Tuesday's election, the incumbent mayor of San Francisco was defeated by Daniel Lurie, a Levi's heir and nonprofit founder, with a margin exceeding 12 points. Breed has guided the city for over six years, navigating escalating issues such as drug overdose fatalities, rampant retail theft, widespread homelessness, and a decline in population as remote workers dispersed to other areas.
While San Francisco has begun to recover from its post-Covid struggles, it evidently wasn’t enough to sway voters. Her defeat highlights the challenges facing mayors during a time when many residents feel a growing sense of lawlessness in downtown areas, even amidst a decline in crime and overdose rates. Last year, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot placed third in her reelection bid, and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler chose not to seek another term this year.
In Oakland, voters recently removed Mayor Sheng Thao, another Democrat, from office after only two years.
“Being the mayor of an urban center after a pandemic has been one of the hardest jobs in America,” remarked Todd David, a key adviser to Breed. “Certain races — they are not set up to be won.”
The San Francisco election was decisively in Lurie’s favor, with the candidate effectively channeling residents' frustrations and branding himself as a change agent—a message that he and his family funded with around $10 million to reach all corners of the 800,000-person city.
Breed acknowledged her loss to Lurie on Thursday afternoon, following updated ballot counts that showed Lurie with a significant lead.
Across the San Francisco Bay, Thao conceded to a recall effort late Friday, but many had already begun speculating about her political future earlier, driven by growing concerns over rising crime.
Conservative commentators and President-elect Donald Trump have frequently painted a bleak picture of San Francisco, attributing its deep-rooted issues to the Democrats in leadership. However, Breed's loss reflects a backlash from progressive-leaning voters — similar to the 2022 recall of the city's progressive district attorney.
Tyler Law, Lurie’s lead consultant, stated he resonated with voters' dominant sentiments by portraying himself as an outsider ready to break from the city’s political establishment.
“He really embodied the change that San Franciscans were calling out for,” said Law, referring to the mayor-elect, a moderate Democrat.
Lurie saw strong support throughout various neighborhoods, notably performing well on the city's west side, where Asian Americans represent a significant voting bloc. His campaign consistently addressed the community's concerns regarding crime and street conditions.
In contrast, Breed, also considered a moderate by San Francisco standards, attempted to counter the negative narratives with statistics portraying improvements in the city’s response over recent years. She pointed to her experience leading during the global pandemic — a tumultuous period that led other prominent Democratic mayors, such as Jenny Durkan of Seattle and Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, to forgo reelection.
Statistics illustrate that conditions in the city are shifting: Property and violent crime rates have seen notable declines, with homicide rates hitting their lowest in half a century and drug overdose deaths significantly down from last year’s peak. Tent encampments on the streets have also diminished.
“I don’t know about you, but the city sure is feeling good,” Breed told enthusiastic supporters at her downtown celebration Tuesday night. “We have laid the groundwork for this city to continue to move forward.”
Her closest allies are attempting to frame her loss in a more positive light. David suggested that Breed arguably “outperformed” expectations given the prevailing demands for change at both the local and national level.
“The mayor ended up in second place with an electorate that was really chomping for change,” he noted.
In early August, there was a moment when polls indicated that Breed was in the lead. However, Lurie swiftly gained momentum as he invested millions in television ads and mailers, reinforcing his outsider narrative.
Subsequently, in late August, an incident occurred where 49ers’ wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot during an armed robbery at Union Square in broad daylight. Shortly thereafter, a Breed appointee resigned amid yet another City Hall scandal involving contracts linked to a personal relationship.
Rafael Mandelman, a member of the Board of Supervisors and a Breed ally, acknowledged that many voters appeared to have made their decisions regarding City Hall months prior.
“It seems like there was a set of voters who were never going to have London Breed on their dance card in any way,” he said. “They just weren’t going to consider her at all.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
In Tuesday's election, the incumbent mayor of San Francisco was defeated by Daniel Lurie, a Levi's heir and nonprofit founder, with a margin exceeding 12 points. Breed has guided the city for over six years, navigating escalating issues such as drug overdose fatalities, rampant retail theft, widespread homelessness, and a decline in population as remote workers dispersed to other areas.
While San Francisco has begun to recover from its post-Covid struggles, it evidently wasn’t enough to sway voters. Her defeat highlights the challenges facing mayors during a time when many residents feel a growing sense of lawlessness in downtown areas, even amidst a decline in crime and overdose rates. Last year, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot placed third in her reelection bid, and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler chose not to seek another term this year.
In Oakland, voters recently removed Mayor Sheng Thao, another Democrat, from office after only two years.
“Being the mayor of an urban center after a pandemic has been one of the hardest jobs in America,” remarked Todd David, a key adviser to Breed. “Certain races — they are not set up to be won.”
The San Francisco election was decisively in Lurie’s favor, with the candidate effectively channeling residents' frustrations and branding himself as a change agent—a message that he and his family funded with around $10 million to reach all corners of the 800,000-person city.
Breed acknowledged her loss to Lurie on Thursday afternoon, following updated ballot counts that showed Lurie with a significant lead.
Across the San Francisco Bay, Thao conceded to a recall effort late Friday, but many had already begun speculating about her political future earlier, driven by growing concerns over rising crime.
Conservative commentators and President-elect Donald Trump have frequently painted a bleak picture of San Francisco, attributing its deep-rooted issues to the Democrats in leadership. However, Breed's loss reflects a backlash from progressive-leaning voters — similar to the 2022 recall of the city's progressive district attorney.
Tyler Law, Lurie’s lead consultant, stated he resonated with voters' dominant sentiments by portraying himself as an outsider ready to break from the city’s political establishment.
“He really embodied the change that San Franciscans were calling out for,” said Law, referring to the mayor-elect, a moderate Democrat.
Lurie saw strong support throughout various neighborhoods, notably performing well on the city's west side, where Asian Americans represent a significant voting bloc. His campaign consistently addressed the community's concerns regarding crime and street conditions.
In contrast, Breed, also considered a moderate by San Francisco standards, attempted to counter the negative narratives with statistics portraying improvements in the city’s response over recent years. She pointed to her experience leading during the global pandemic — a tumultuous period that led other prominent Democratic mayors, such as Jenny Durkan of Seattle and Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, to forgo reelection.
Statistics illustrate that conditions in the city are shifting: Property and violent crime rates have seen notable declines, with homicide rates hitting their lowest in half a century and drug overdose deaths significantly down from last year’s peak. Tent encampments on the streets have also diminished.
“I don’t know about you, but the city sure is feeling good,” Breed told enthusiastic supporters at her downtown celebration Tuesday night. “We have laid the groundwork for this city to continue to move forward.”
Her closest allies are attempting to frame her loss in a more positive light. David suggested that Breed arguably “outperformed” expectations given the prevailing demands for change at both the local and national level.
“The mayor ended up in second place with an electorate that was really chomping for change,” he noted.
In early August, there was a moment when polls indicated that Breed was in the lead. However, Lurie swiftly gained momentum as he invested millions in television ads and mailers, reinforcing his outsider narrative.
Subsequently, in late August, an incident occurred where 49ers’ wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot during an armed robbery at Union Square in broad daylight. Shortly thereafter, a Breed appointee resigned amid yet another City Hall scandal involving contracts linked to a personal relationship.
Rafael Mandelman, a member of the Board of Supervisors and a Breed ally, acknowledged that many voters appeared to have made their decisions regarding City Hall months prior.
“It seems like there was a set of voters who were never going to have London Breed on their dance card in any way,” he said. “They just weren’t going to consider her at all.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
