Go back to Election '94 pageSAN FRANCISCO -- The biggest upset in local politics this week was the ouster of San Francisco Supervisor Annemarie Conroy -- and it was a classic case of a politician thinking too big too soon.
Three years ago, when Republican Conroy's godfather, Mayor Frank Jordan, appointed her to the Board of Supervisors, she was telling folks that she would be happy just to get re-elected in this overwhelmingly Democratic town.
But that tune changed when polls started showing Conroy gaining -- gaining so much, in fact, there was talk that she might win the presidency of the Board of Supervisors.
Rather than downplay the surge, Conroy's folks touted the numbers -- which was like waving a red cape in front of an increasingly angry Democratic bull.
Conroy's surge particularly rankled Supervisor Carole Migden, who had raised $400,000 in her own bid for the board presidency and who was not about to be knocked off by a Republican.
Upshot: The Democrats shot out a last-minute mailer that made an issue of Conroy's party affiliation.
The mail hit and the big liberal turnout in San Francisco were a one-two punch that took Conroy down for the count.
DEAR LANDLORD: Word is that UC-San Francisco is very upset about the rent the Presidio folks want to charge the school to move into Letterman Hospital. Apparently the university -- which happens to be San Francisco's biggest employer -- feels that the Presidio brass is trying to stick the school with the tab for more than its share of the Presidio upkeep.
SLIM JIM'S: Competition is already brewing over who will replace San Francisco's outgoing chief administrative officer, Rudy Nothenberg.
First names out of the gate: former Deputy Mayor Jim Lazarus and current Deputy Mayor Jim Wunderman.
Both have their supporters -- and their detractors. But it's still unclear whether either has the needed backing of Mayor Jordan and the Board of Supervisors.
Go back to Election '94 page