The city that long served as America's progressive beacon just got a new label from its own newspaper of record: no longer progressive. Following Tuesday's primary election results, the San Francisco Chronicle declared the city can't claim that mantle anymore—not after voters decisively backed measures that expand police powers and require drug screening for welfare recipients.
The political earthquake came in the form of two ballot measures championed by Mayor London Breed. Proposition E, which passed with nearly 60% support, grants police authority to deploy public surveillance cameras, drones, and facial recognition technology while reducing administrative paperwork requirements. Meanwhile, Proposition F sailed through with 63% of the vote, mandating drug screening for recipients of the County Adult Assistance Program.
"For now, at least, San Francisco can no longer be called a progressive city," the San Francisco Chronicle declared in its analysis of the election results. "Not after voters approved ballot measures Tuesday to loosen restrictions on the police and screen welfare recipients for drugs, while a measure to boost developers was leading and likely to pass."
Moderates Seize Control of Party Leadership
Perhaps more significant than the ballot measures themselves was the wholesale takeover of the Democratic County Central Committee by moderate candidates. The DCCC, as political insiders call it, wields enormous influence through its ability to issue official Democratic Party endorsements for candidates and ballot measures—endorsements that can make or break campaigns in deep-blue San Francisco. According to the San Francisco Standard, moderates won 18 of 24 elected seats on the committee, a stunning reversal from four years ago when progressives controlled all but two seats.
The moderate slate, running under the banner "SF Democrats for Change," included current Supervisors Matt Dorsey and Catherine Stefani, former Supervisor Michaela Alioto-Pier, and several candidates running for Board of Supervisors seats. They outspent their progressive opponents significantly, with donors funneling approximately $1.6 million into the race for positions that don't even come with a salary.
Tech Money Fuels Political Shift
The moderate victories came with substantial financial backing from Silicon Valley. Newsweek reported that about $3 million in fundraising backed Breed's proposed measures leading up to polling day. Tech executives like Chris Larsen of Ripple and Jeremy Stoppelman of Yelp poured money into supporting the public safety propositions.
Kanishka Cheng, executive director of TogetherSF Action—a political advocacy group co-founded with billionaire venture capitalist Michael Moritz—told the NBC Bay Area that voters are "so frustrated, they're willing to try something different." TogetherSF Action played a central role in promoting the moderate agenda across the city.
What This Means for San Francisco's Future
The implications extend far beyond these specific ballot measures. With moderate control of the DCCC and half the Board of Supervisors up for reelection in November, the political landscape could shift dramatically. The committee will issue endorsements for mayor—where Breed faces a tough reelection battle—six supervisor seats, district attorney, and numerous ballot measures.
Steve Buss, a moderate leader, told the Chronicle that progressives "had their turn. They failed. Now it's time for the city to move on." Marjan Philhour, a moderate candidate for supervisor, argued that the progressive-dominated DCCC "has been out of touch with actual everyday Democrats in San Francisco."
But progressives aren't conceding the war. Former Supervisor Jane Kim, who won her DCCC seat with the most votes of any candidate in both 2016 and 2020, maintains that San Francisco values around tenant protections, affordable housing, and skepticism of corporate influence remain strong. According to the Chronicle, Supervisor Aaron Peskin is expected to carry the progressive banner in the mayoral race this November, setting up what could be a defining battle for the city's political future.
The Bigger Picture
San Francisco's shift reflects broader tensions within the Democratic Party as liberal cities grapple with visible homelessness, drug crises, and crime concerns. The image of San Francisco as a city in decline has grown in the national consciousness over recent years, accelerated by pandemic-era business closures and the flight of some residents. Those fighting back against these problems appear to be regaining political power.
The Chronicle noted that while moderates have controlled the mayor's office for more than three decades, San Francisco's reputation as a progressive city has persisted. Former Mayor Art Agnos, the last progressive elected to that office before being voted out after one term in 1992, took a longer view: "If a couple of mods are elected, so what? This city has survived much bigger political trauma."
Whether this represents a temporary swing or a lasting realignment remains to be seen. But for now, at least one thing is clear: the San Francisco that votes to expand police surveillance and mandate drug testing for public assistance recipients looks decidedly different from the one that earned its progressive reputation.
