Yee, Nevin Battle for Asian Vote in SD 8

The contested Democratic primary for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Jackie Speier heated up today with a small press release war between Assemblyman Leland Yee and former San Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin. First, Nevin sent out a release touting that "San Francisco and Peninsula Asian Pacific American leaders have united to support" him. A long paragraph of endorsers followed with this quote from his campaign manager: “Leland Yee has taken the community for granted by being predictably unsupportive of other Asian candidates, so it’s no surprise that the Asian Pacific American leadership is not supporting him,” said Seamus Murphy, spokesman for the Nevin campaign. “They see in Mike Nevin a candidate who has a tremendous record of uniting Asian Pacific Americans and appointing them to leadership roles in local government instead of abandoning and dividing the community for selfish political gain.” Not long after, Yee's team responded with their own long paragraph of APA endorsers and the fact that Yee is the co-chair of the Asian Pacific American Legislative Caucus and President of the Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators. And, of course, an euqally snide campaign manager quote: “Mike Nevin’s claim to have ‘united’ support in the Asian American community is laughable,” said Yee campaign manager Jim Stearns. “What is more serious is this out-of-touch politician’s complete ignorance of the broad diversity and interests of the Asian American community. Nevin touts no significant accomplishments, and most of his APA endorsements areeither San Francisco political payback or part of the San Mateo Countypolitical machine."