include the AFL-CIO<\/a>, has spent $1.15 million on her behalf this year. Another has poured in $488,000 since September 11.<\/p>\nAll the dark money groups inserting themselves into this race \u201care misleading voters about me, as well as my opponent,\u201d he wrote, \u201cand all of it is distorting and corrupting our democracy \u2014 it\u2019s everything that disgusts people about politics. Whether they are funded by oligarchs, tech billionaires, trial lawyers, crypto, AI, labor groups, developers \u2014 our district and our democracy deserve better than shadowy Independent Expenditures (IEs) attempting to influence your vote and manipulate this race.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to be loud and clear, so that these dark money IEs (and everyone else) will know exactly where I stand: I am not connected to any of these expenditures, mailers, or ads.\u201d<\/p>\n
Representatives for Grow California did not respond to a request for comment, including a question about whether it would it would heed Lucan\u2019s wish that it stop \u201csupporting\u201d his campaign.<\/p>\n
In an interview Thursday, Lucan expressed some frustration that the deluge of independent expenditures, including those by Grow California, had become a distraction from topics he\u2019s been discussing with voters \u201cfor the last 16 months,\u201d including \u201cthe number one issue I hear at the door, which is cost of living and affordability.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s quite comical,\u201d he said, when asked to respond to characterizations of him as being overly beholden to Big Tech.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, I\u2019ve got a 15-year track record (in public service) that I could point to. I\u2019ve got all the elected officials that are behind me in this race, including five county supervisors, 10 of the 15 mayors in the district, 50 current city and town council members.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before working at Mike\u2019s Bikes, Lucan and his wife, Kiley, opened a fitness studio on Union Street in San Francisco, which they still own.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the background that I\u2019m coming to this with,\u201d he said. \u201cThe three pillars in my campaign are cost of living and affordability, climate resiliency, and local economic opportunity \u2014 our local, Main Street businesses.<\/p>\n
The idea that he\u2019s linked to \u201cthe largest tech companies in the world, or out there trying to build AI data centers \u2014 that does give me a good laugh,\u201d Lucan said.<\/p>\n
While Elward is running a \u201cvery activist oriented campaign,\u201d said McCuan, Lucan\u2019s is \u201cmuch more establishment oriented.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elward is a staunch proponent of Prop 40, which, should it pass, will impose a one-time 5% wealth tax on California residents and trusts with a net worth exceeding $1 billion.<\/p>\n
Lucan is opposed to it. Yes, Prop 40 would create \u201ca one-time windfall,\u201d he said, but its \u201clong-term impacts\u201d could include \u201cmore and more higher earners leaving the state, which is then going to make it even less sustainable for us to continue to provide the services to the most vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucan said he had hesitations about the way the ballot measure \u201cwas crafted, and where the funds will be utilized,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s why I am aligned with groups\u201d \u2014 he mentioned the California Professional Firefighters, California Teachers Association and Planned Parenthood \u2014 \u201csaying this is not the right approach at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Catherine Bracy is the founder of Oakland-based Tech Equity Action. It also has spent money in the District 12 race, though in opposition to the Big Tech money flooding politics, according to Bracy.<\/p>\n
Their local mailers call out how much money has been tech money has been spent in support of Lucan versus the zero spent on Elward\u2019s behalf.<\/p>\n
The group, which Bracy describes as \u201ca public education campaign, not in support or opposition to any candidate,\u201d recently launched its own $1 million ad buy. She would not divulge the sources of those funds. Their goal, she said, to make sure the public understands that Big Tech \u201cis a corporate interest with a specific agenda, and it is completely misaligned from where the public is on these issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said it\u2019s been \u201cextremely hard\u201d in California to make strong rules that would create guardrails for tech companies, \u201ceven through the public is overwhelmingly demanding it. And in large part it\u2019s because of the money that the industry is spending.\u201d<\/p>\n
One mailer warns that tech billionaires want to \u201cblock protections for kids online, enable AI-driven job losses, and build data centers that harm our communities.\u201d It adds: \u201cHere in Marin and Sonoma counties, tech executives are spending big to influence our Assembly race.\u201d<\/p>\n
While he made no predictions about the race, McCuan said that AI and data centers are very much a part of the national conversation, \u201cand that\u2019s not going away.\u201d<\/p>\n
He described the contest as \u201ca bit fluid,\u201d with plenty of time for voters to learn more about the candidates.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, he said, \u201cIt\u2019s clear that Jackie\u2019s profile has grown\u201d and the $753,000 spent by Grow California to tank her candidacy \u201chas had exactly the opposite effect.\u201d<\/p>\n
You can reach Austin Murphy at austin.murphy@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @AusMurph88.<\/p>\n
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