GrowSF, the influential centrist political group, has thrown the race for District 8 supervisor into chaos with its endorsement of candidate Darshini Patel and a lesser but legitimate nod to Gary McCoy. The friendly support for the two candidates raises the question: Who gets to be defined as a progressive in a city that’s moving further to the center?
The District 8 race was already messy due to the departure of frontrunner Manny Yekutiel following new revelations that he had allegedly sexually abused two more men, the second public accusation after those made by Brad Chapin in June. Now, thanks to GrowSF’s endorsement of a literal dues-paying member of the Democratic Socialists of America and its not-quite endorsement of her competitor in its voter guide, the District 8 race is one of the muddiest in recent memory.
In an interview with Gazetteer SF, Patel said, “I find it interesting because so many people have come at me for GrowSF’s [endorsement], but no one is talking about how Gary McCoy is now recommended by the group, too. I didn’t change my platform [to get endorsed],” Patel said. “He did.”
Patel referenced McCoy’s shift on his public safety plan, which was revised after Patel received GrowSF’s endorsement. The update softened some of his prior stances on issues like Flock camera usage and the expansion of police staffing, and GrowSF has favorably highlighted the changes.
With just a week to go before Election Day, Patel is working nonstop to position herself to voters who may be confused by seeing her as GrowSF’s No. 1 choice for District 8. She disavowed the endorsement and clarified that she had never pursued it in the first place.
McCoy, for his part, is also wrestling with the group’s nod: Until Gazetteer reached out for comment, McCoy did not realize that GrowSF, which has been relentlessly attacking McCoy’s progressive identity and history as an unhoused addict in campaign materials, is now telling voters that it is “not unreasonable to pick either Patel or McCoy.”
In a text to Gazetteer, McCoy added that he has not seen any more ads from the group attacking his record and history. (GrowSF was not able to respond to Gazetteer’s request for clarification by press time; the story will be updated if it does.)
“Gary has a unique ability to unite different political factions, and I'm glad that GrowSF has finally come around on him,” Catie Stewart, spokesperson for the McCoy campaign, told Gazetteer. “I hope that from here on out, they’ll stick to the facts when it comes to his record and experience.”
McCoy remains a conventional frontrunner on paper, considering he has the backing of both the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club and the more moderate Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, along with dozens of San Francisco politicians and a slew of unions. Patel, however, has gathered nods from sitting supervisors Jackie Fielder (a fellow socialist) and Myrna Melgar, as well as progressive organizations such as the United Educators of San Francisco, Rose Pak Asian American Club, and Indivisible SF. Patel’s website still features the GrowSF endorsement.
In an interview, Patel said that regardless who endorses her, she won’t back down from her identity as a “progressive candidate in the actual DSA,” but emphasized that’s not her pitch at doorways across the district.
“My platform is, very intentionally, an evidence-backed platform that does not prescribe to either moderate or progressive,” Patel said.
The local DSA chapter did not endorse candidates, but in its voter guide, it states that Patel is a “self-described socialist with a strong platform and an emphasis on problem solving.” The group also praised her “fresh perspective” and a “sharp, analytical approach.” McCoy got a few plaudits from the leftist group, but it also highlighted “his backing from moderates.”
The October shuffle in District 8 has created one of the most unique battles in recent San Francisco elections, and the resulting blueprint to success will show how ideological labels on the political “spectrum” often mean little for the city’s voters. Regardless of endorsements, with a week to go, Patel is more focused on getting the nod from a much more important group: District 8 voters who remain on the fence.
“My team and I have learned something knocking on so many doors: People are either voting for me, or they’ve never heard about me,” she said. “That’s what we’ll work on.”
