Barbara Lee announces Oakland mayoral bid

Oakland, California - Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee is running to become the next mayor of Oakland, California.

Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee has announced she is running to become the next mayor of Oakland, California.
Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee has announced she is running to become the next mayor of Oakland, California.  © Jemal Countess / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

"Look, they say Oakland is a mess. I hear this all the time. Our problems are too large to be solved," Lee (78) says in a campaign announcement video shared to social media on Wednesday.

"They've said we are a city divided, but let's show them that we are one Oakland. That's in our DNA," she adds.

Lee goes on to highlight many of the challenges facing the city, from the housing and homelessness crises to threats to small businesses, economic livelihood, and public safety.

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"Together we can house our neighbors, ensure everyone feels safe in our homes – and I mean everyone – and in all of our communities, provide good living wage jobs, economic development, support our small businesses and rebuild our trust," she says in the video.

"Together we can make Oakland a beacon for innovators and dreamers, for artists and builders, for women and minority entrepreneurs, creating opportunities that lift all communities and make an Oakland for all."

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Barbara Lee represented East Bay residents in the US House from 1998-2025.
Barbara Lee represented East Bay residents in the US House from 1998-2025.  © KENT NISHIMURA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Oakland is holding an April 15 special election after the recall of former Mayor Sheng Thao, whose home was raided by the FBI last June as part of an ongoing investigation.

Lee enters the race with decades of experience in politics and wide name recognition.

The 78-year-old was first elected to Congress in 1998, serving in the House until January 3 of this year. She chaired the Congressional Progressive Caucus from 2005-2009 and the Congressional Black Caucus from 2009-2011, and is known for being the only member of Congress to vote against authorizing use of force after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

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Lee previously represented constituents in the California State Assembly from 1990-1996 and in the State Senate from 1996-1998.

Lee ran an unsuccessful bid for US Senate in 2024, losing out in the Democratic primary to fellow California Representative Adam Schiff.

If elected mayor in April, Lee will serve out the remainder of Thao's term, which ends in January 2027.

Cover photo: Jemal Countess / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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