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Leaders of Sonoma County’s leading environmental group, Conservation Action, and its largest labor coalition, the North Bay Labor Council, deny they are breaking up over endorsements in the north county supervisorial contest.
But, there’s no doubt they have parted ways in that race, which is setting up a winner-take-all showdown.
For decades, the two groups have endorsed the anybody-but-Paul-Kelley candidate. This year, though, with the conservative standard bearer not seeking re-election, Conservation Action is sticking with Windsor councilwoman Debora Fudge, while labor is breaking ranks and backing Healdsburg councilman Mike McGuire.
Both groups backed Fudge in the 2006 election, when she came within 242 votes of unseating Kelley.
And in the 2008 supervisorial election, both groups supported Shirlee Zane in the 3rd District race and ended up together backing Rue Furch in the run-off in the 5th District. And in this election, they are both supporting Petaluma Mayor Pam Torliatt for the 2nd District seat.
All of which makes their split over Kelley’s successor more intriguing.
Conservation Action gives “A” grades to Fudge and McGuire’s voting record on their environmental hot-button issues. Yet, the group’s legion of door-to-door solicitors gave the edge to Fudge.
Lisa Maldonado, labor council executive director, said: “It is a great problem to have too many labor and environmental candidates. At this point, Mike stands out with his energy, enthusiasm to campaign and his drive.”
Maldonado denied that labor’s rejection of Fudge had anything to do with unions being upset with what they view as her lukewarm or ineffectual support for living wage provisions on the private construction portion of the SMART project at Railroad Square.
“Our members vote on endorsements based on a whole questionnaire full of issues; it is not one issue that makes or breaks a candidate,” she said.
— Bleys W. Rose
The Press Democrat
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