New York Magazine’s Intelligencer site accused Republicans Monday of preventing San Francisco from becoming a progressive city and pushing for District Attorney Chesa Boudin’s recall election.
New York Magazine writer Ross Barkan penned a piece titled "The Limits of San Francisco Liberalism," that explained, "If Chesa Boudin is recalled, it will be because his city has never been its left-wing caricature."
"Modern San Francisco, unlike New York, does not rest on the legacy of a social-democratic state forged with New Deal largesse," Barkan wrote.
He also claimed, "A right-leaning, if conventional, business Establishment held great sway over San Francisco politics until tech, with its billions, subsumed much of it in the 21st century."
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"This real San Francisco is a city of fewer than 900,000 people that increasingly lacks a working-class population that could buoy progressive candidates," Barkan added.
Intelligencer Deputy Editor Justin Miller promoted the article shortly after it was published, pushing the argument that San Francisco was "governed by Republicans for most of the 20th century," although the last time Republicans were in charge of the city was in 1964 and the 20th century ended over 20 years ago.
"San Francisco, governed by Republicans for most of the 20th century, doesn't rest on a New Deal foundation and increasingly lacks a working-class population to bolster progressive candidates," Miller tweeted.
Miller’s tweet was quickly mocked by social media users for suggesting San Francisco is not a progressive city or run primarily by Democrats.
Ron DeSantis' press secretary Christina Pushaw wrote, "’True communism has never been tried!’"
"The last Republican mayor in San Francisco left office nearly 60 years ago..." Claremont Institute Lincoln Fellow Jarrett Stepman wrote, referencing former San Francisco Mayor George Christopher.
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Republican National Committee spokesman Nathan Brand tweeted, "Pack it up, folks. No one is going to top this take today: *Republicans* are to blame for San Francisco being a disaster of a city."
Boudin faces a recall vote on Tuesday. The special election marks the second attempt to recall Boudin from his position but the first successful effort to lead to an official vote.
Polls have suggested a majority of voters are in favor of ousting Boudin with many San Francisco voters citing rising crime rates and falling police morale since his election in 2019. Property crime rose approximately 10.4% in 2022 with fatal and non-fatal shootings increasing by 33% in 2021.
If Boudin is successfully recalled, San Francisco Mayor London Breed will pick his replacement.