Oakland City Council District 7: Sheryl Walton

I've known Sheryl Walton since 1997. I met her when she was a very effective organizer for the "Healthy Neighborhoods Project" run by the Contra Costa health department. She connects with people, she's a champion for low-income families, and she's raised her son in East Oakland. She's smart, she knows where to go for good advice.

She would be a significant improvement on the incumbent, Larry Reid. Mr. Reid has championed the $500 million Oakland Airport Connector boondoggle. In the forums where I have seen him represent Oakland, he sometimes simply does not show up, leaving Oakland without effective representation on county entities. 

Ms. Walton does have some good endorsements, such as the Sierra Club, Alameda County Central Labor Council, and Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club. Since Mr. Reid has been in office for 15 years, she has a steep uphill battle to unseat him.