Richmond Progressive Alliance

In 2003 or 2004, an "unlikely group of Greens, Latinos, progressive Democrats, African Americans, and free spirits" founded RPA. Co-founders included Gayle McLaughlin, Marilyn Langlois, and Andrés Soto. McLaughlin cited Peter Camejo's run in 2002 as Green Party candidate for Governor of California as their inspiration for getting involved in politics.

In 2004, RPA member Gayle McLaughlin, a Green and a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member, won a city council seat in Richmond. They were the first RPA member to do so.

In 2005, RPA supported transfer of the former Zeneca site at Campus Bay to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.{{cite news |last1=Brenneman |first1=Richard |title=Legislation, Protest Target Richmond Sites |date=22 April 2005 |publisher=The Berkeley Daily Planet |url=http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2005-04-22/article/21224?headline=Legislation-Protest-Target-Richmond-Sites-By-RICHARD-BRENNEMAN}}

File:Gayle McLaughlin election poster.jpg

In the 2006 Richmond, California municipal elections, Gayle McLaughlin won the election for mayor against incumbent Democrat Irma Anderson. This made Richmond the largest city in the United States to have a Green mayor.

In 2008, RPA supported ballot measure Measure T which would substantially increased business license fees for large corporations like Chevron, owner of the Chevron Richmond Refinery. RPA opposed, Measure U, which would enable casino building, like the one proposed for the former Point Molate Naval Fuel Depot, was successfully defeated at the ballot box.

After the 2008 financial crisis, Richmond saw extensive foreclosures. In 2008, Richmond began fining banks $1000 per day if they failed to maintain their property, and had collected $1.5 million by 2014. In 2014, RPA and McLaughlin supported an underwater mortgage bailout program which would use eminent domain to obtain better terms for underwater homeowners;{{cite news |title=Eminent Domain: A Long Shot Against Blight |first=Shaila |last=Dewan |date=January 11, 2014 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/business/in-richmond-california-a-long-shot-against-blight.html}} however, banks threatened a capital strike and Congress passed a law banning the practice.

In 2010, RPA negotiated with Chevron to contribute millions of dollars for the city to reinvest in itself instead of facing Measure T which would have forced a change in the utility tax which would have made them potentially contribute more.{{cite news |title=Richmond and Chevron Reach Agreement |date=10 May 2010 |publisher=The Berkeley Daily Planet |url=http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2010-05-07/article/35268?headline=Richmond-and-Chevron-Reach-Agreement--From-the-Richmond-Progressive-Association-via-Councilmember-Tom-Butt-Partisan-Position-}}

In 2012, RPA member Jeff Ritterman proposed Measure N, a tax on sugary drinks. Community Coalition Against Beverage Taxes, funded by the American Beverage Association, spent $2.4 million to defeat it. It was rejected by 66.9% of voters.{{Cite web|date=2012-11-06|title=Voters resoundingly reject Richmond 'soda' tax|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2012/11/06/voters-resoundingly-reject-richmond-soda-tax/ |publisher=East Bay Times}}

In 2014, Richmond municipal elections attracted national media attention, as they were seen as a "David versus Goliath" race in the wake of the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court case.{{cite web |title=The Rachel Maddow Show |date=November 5, 2014 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna56373822 |publisher=NBC News}} Chevron spent about $3.1 million to support its own slate of candidates and break progressive control of the council,{{Cite web |title=Chevron Spends Big, And Loses Big, In A City Council Race |date=November 5, 2014 |publisher=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/11/05/361875792/chevron-spends-big-and-loses-big-in-a-city-council-race}}{{cite news |last1=Cagle |first1=Susie |title=Richmond v Chevron: the California city taking on its most powerful polluter |date=9 October 2019 |publisher=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/09/richmond-chevron-california-city-polluter-fossil-fuel}} which was more than Chevron had spent in total on all US Congress races from 2008 to 2012.{{cite news |last1=Richman |first1=Shaun |date=11 January 2017 |publisher=In These Times |title=From Company Town to Rebel City: Richmond, California Shows How Progressives Can Win |url=https://inthesetimes.com/article/richmond-california-shows-how-progressives-can-win}} According to McLaughlin, Chevron "bought up every billboard in town". In the mayoral election, RPA endorsed Mike Parker for Richmond mayor. However, Parker withdrew from the race in August and endorsed Tom Butt, in order to avoid splitting the left and center-left vote.{{cite news |last=Mary |date=August 11, 2014 |title=Richmond Progressive Alliance mayoral candidate Mike Parker withdraws, throws support to Tom Butt |publisher=San Francisco Bay View |url=https://sfbayview.com/2014/08/richmond-progressive-alliance-mayoral-candidate-mike-parker-withdraws-throws-support-to-tom-butt/}} Butt beat Chevron's mayoral candidate, Nat Bates, with more than 51 percent of the election and avoiding a run-off. In the city council election, RPA took all 3 open seats, with McLaughlin, Martinez, and Beckles beating out Chevon-backed candidates Donna Powers, Charles Ramsey, and Al Martinez.{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Carolyn |date=November 6, 2014 |title=Chevron's $3 million backfires in Richmond election |publisher=SFGate |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Chevron-s-3-million-backfires-in-Richmond-5873779.php}}

In 2016, RPA won 2 additional city council seats, giving them 5 of 6 city council seats and 5 of 7 voting seats in the Richmond government.{{Cite web |date=November 9, 2016 |title=Willis' and Choi's City Council wins bring victory for RPA, Mayor Butt voices concern |publisher=Richmond Confidential |url=https://richmondconfidential.org/2016/11/09/willis-and-chois-city-council-win-brings-victory-for-rpa-mayor-butt-voices-concern/}} Richmond voters approved a controversial rent-control and just-cause eviction measure written and backed by the RPA.{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Otis R. Jr. |title=Marilyn Langlois likely choice for seat on Richmond City Council |date=September 4, 2017 |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Marilyn-Langlois-likely-choice-for-seat-on-12169938.php}} RPA's rent control measure passed,{{cite news |date=November 10, 2016 |title=Richmond Progressive Alliance sweeps up at the polls; rent control measure passes |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2016/11/10/richmond-progressive-alliance-sweeps-up-at-the-polls-rent-control-measure-passes/ |publisher=East Bay Times}} which soured relations between RPA and mayor Butt, who opposed the measure.{{cite web |title=Election results: RPA loses grip, Mayor Butt re-elected Richmond Confidential |date=November 6, 2018 |first1=Betty Marquez |last1=Rosales |first2=Edward |last2=Booth |first3=Barbara |last3=Harvey |publisher=Richmond Confidential |url=https://richmondconfidential.org/2018/11/06/early-results-butt-leads-in-richmond-mayoral-race/}}

In 2017, RPA endorsed three members for McLaughlin's empty seat, including Langlois and Ada Recinos. In a surprising decision, the council picked Recinos over Langlois.{{cite news |title=In surprise move, Richmond City Council votes Ada Recinos, 26, to succeed Gayle McLaughlin |first1=Josh |last1=Slowiczek |date=September 13, 2017 |publisher=Richmond Confidential |url=https://richmondconfidential.org/2017/09/13/in-surprise-move-richmond-city-council-votes-ada-recinos-26-to-succeed-gayle-mclaughlin/}}

In 2018, McLaughlin created the California Progressive Alliance, a statewide offshoot of the RPA which endorses progressive candidates for state and federal elections.{{cite news |last1=Chan |first1=Bonnie |title=California's Political Revolution |date=December 2018 |publisher=Jacobin |url=https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/12/richmond-progressive-alliance-gayle-mclaughlin-chevron-political-revolution}} McLaughlin ran for Lieutenant Governor of California, but lost.{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Otis |title=Richmond's Gayle McLaughlin running for lieutenant governor |date=July 17, 2016 |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Richmond-s-Gayle-McLaughlin-running-for-11292321.php}}

In the same year, RPA member Jovanka Beckles and former Obama 2008 campaign coordinator Buffy Wicks competed for the California Assembly District 15 seat. Richmond mayor Tom Butt and the California Progressive Alliance endorsed Wicks. Wicks went on to beat Beckles by 12 points and win the seat.{{Cite web |title=Buffy Wicks Defeats Jovanka Beckles in East Bay Assembly Race |first=Guy |last=Marzorati |date=November 7, 2018 |publisher=KQED |url=https://www.kqed.org/news/11702200/buffy-wicks-opens-up-early-lead-over-jovanka-beckles-in-east-bay-assembly-race}}{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Otis |title=Buffy Wicks' experience running others' campaigns pays off with her Assembly win |date=12 November 2018 |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/otisrtaylorjr/article/Buffy-Wicks-experience-running-others-13382157.php}}

In 2019, Butt blamed the Richmond Progressive Alliance for obstructing appointments to city positions, which are done typically at the prerogative of the mayor.{{cite news |last1=Ravani |first1=Sarah |title=Richmond mayor, council clash over appointments to police commission |date=May 23, 2019 |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Richmond-mayor-council-clash-over-appointments-13886095.php}}

The table below shows the number of RPA elected officials after the November election:

RPA has fielded electoral candidates for local and state offices. RPA candidates usually run in nonpartisan elections or as No Party Preference (NPP) independent candidates.

• American Left
• Democratic Socialists of America
• Progressive Dane
• Green Party of the United States
• History of the socialist movement in the United States
• List of mayors of Richmond, California

{{reflist}}

{{Portal|San Francisco Bay Area}}

• [http://www.richmondprogressivealliance.net/ Richmond Progressive Alliance official website]
• [https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/past-elections/past-election-results/ Contra Costa election results]

{{Richmond, California}}

Category:Organizations based in the San Francisco Bay Area

Category:Progressive parties in the United States

Category:Richmond, California