Peninsula DSA Endorses James Coleman for CA State Assembly (AD 21)

On February 20, 2022, members of Peninsula DSA (PDSA) voted to enthusiastically endorse PDSA member James Coleman in his grassroots, corporate-free campaign for California State Assembly in newly redrawn District 21, which now represents eastern San Mateo County from Brisbane and South San Francisco down to East Palo Alto. Because James favors bold, uncompromising action to effect popular progressive policies such as raising the minimum wage, instituting higher taxes on the ultra wealthy, and increasing spending on health care, education, and infrastructure, he is the best candidate to bring about transformative change for working people on the Peninsula, and he is well positioned to win the primary election in June 2022. In 2020, James successfully ran as a Democratic Socialist against 18-year incumbent and mayor Richard Garbarino, winning a city council seat in his hometown of South San Francisco with over 52 percent of the votes. As South San Francisco’s first openly LGBTQ+ and youngest-ever City Councilmember, James has a track record of looking out for the interests of the working class. So far he has been instrumental in

1. building broad support for the Early Care and Education for All South San Francisco ballot measure campaign (modeled after Portland DSA’s successful measure in Multnomah County, OR) to bring universal preschool to all working families in South City;
2. passing a citywide Medicare for All resolution, which helped secure outgoing CA Assemblymember Kevin Mullin’s commitment to vote Yes on CalCare (AB 1400); and
3. advocating for union-constructed multi-family housing—including mixed-income social housing—to solve the dual crises of decreased housing stock and increased numbers of unhoused neighbors on the Peninsula.

In addition to organizing with PDSA, James was actively involved in Harvard College Students for Bernie Sanders, and in spring 2020 helped transition the group to a Young DSA chapter (Harvard Young DSA). A proponent of bold action on climate, James has also been involved with the Alliance for Climate Education, the Harvard Undergraduates for Environmental Justice, and Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard. James Coleman has also earned the endorsements of SEIU California, the San Francisco Berniecrats, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Courage to Change PAC, Daybreak PAC, Project Super Bloom, Reach Coalition (allyship), Downballot Progress, Run for Something, and current DSA-endorsed elected officials: CA Assemblymember Alex Lee (AD 25), Redwood City Councilmember Lissette Espinoza-Garnica, and San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston.