Matt Picks Up Big, Surprising Endorsements

From today's Chronicle, "S.F. rivals battle for endorsements; In surprising move, builders' group supports Gonzalez":

Robert Haaland, president of the left-leaning Harvey Milk Democratic club, said the only debate at Tuesday's endorsement meeting was whether to cross party lines to back Gonzalez, a member of the Green Party, or make no endorsement. "When we have a Democratic candidate like Newsom whose positions are more like the Republicans on the signature issues this club cares a lot about, like district elections and public power, it makes for a much more difficult decision,'' Haaland said. Gonzalez, he added, shares more of the club's values. "It tends to be more about ideology than party,'' he said.

What raised eyebrows, however, was Gonzalez winning the endorsement of the Residential Builders Association, whose live-work loft construction projects Gonzalez opposed.

Joe O'Donoghue, who heads the association, said that despite the differences, Gonzalez is for the little guy, which appeals to his group. "Matt is for the working people, the disenfranchised, and that's what this race is about,'' said O'Donoghue. "It's about the haves and the have-nots.''

Ross Mirkarimi, a campaign strategist for Gonzalez, called the endorsement "interesting and ironic,'' but said "it shows that even those who may disagree with Matt Gonzalez know that he's someone they can trust.''