How Stockton's mayor is positioning himself for Congress

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Jul 30, 2024 View in browser   By Tyler Katzenberger and Camille von Kaenel Kevin Lincoln is hoping four years of governance focused on mental health, crime and youth issues will vault him into another victory this fall. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo This Q&A is the first in a series of interviews with some of California’s “other” big-city mayors leading communities that rank among the nation’s 100 most-populous cities — but are often overshadowed by California power centers like San Francisco and Los Angeles. EYEING ANOTHER UPSET: Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln is no stranger to unseating an incumbent — and he’s hoping to do that again. The 43-year-old Republican, former marine and pastor first took office in 2021 after notching a stunning 13-point upset to oust Democrat Michael Tubbs, considered a rising progressive star at the time. Now, Lincoln is hoping four years of governance focused on mental health, crime and youth issues will vault him into another victory this fall, this time against Democratic incumbent Rep. Josh Harder in the race for California’s 9th Congressional District in the Central Valley. Harder has the advantage on paper in the Democratic-leaning district and boasts nearly five times more campaign cash than Lincoln. But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in May placed Harder on its Frontline list of potentially vulnerable incumbents, a sign the race could be closer than it appears. “Here we are again,” Lincoln said. “I do it because I believe in it.” Playbook sat down with Lincoln to discuss his record as mayor and his run for Congress. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. The U.S. Supreme Court recently handed cities greater enforcement powers to clear homeless encampments. How has that impacted your approach in Stockton?  The public has been crying out for cities and local agencies to do more, to create safer public spaces … Previous rulings tied local agencies’ and jurisdictions’ hands. Our hands are now untied. The first area we're going to prioritize is making sure our parks are clear of encampments throughout the city of Stockton. We want people and families to feel comfortable frequenting those public spaces. Is there a personal story that drives your approach? When I was 15 years old … as I'm coming out of [a] store, a gentleman says, “Hey, young man, you have a dollar?” I looked at him, and I realized who that gentleman was. It was my father, whom I hadn't seen for a few years. I had to tell my father, “No.” He says that was one of the moments that changed his life. Shortly thereafter, he ended up getting on the right path. He’s been clean and sober for almost 30 years. That's a moment that changed my life. People do need help, and we need to do everything we can to help them. But sometimes there has to be some enforcement to help that person take that next step toward healing in their life. Crime is a major issue heading into November, with Proposition 36 seeking to undo changes under Prop 47 that downgraded certain penalties a decade ago. Are state officials doing enough to address crime?  No, I don't think so. This whole situation between Prop 47 — and now Prop 36 — is a direct result of that. You’ve had state officials that have changed their position on Prop 47 because their communities are being impacted. The fundamental responsibility of an elected official is public safety. If our people, our businesses and our property [are] not secure, then we're failing. I support Prop 36. We need more accountability. A culture of lawlessness in Stockton and San Joaquin County is unacceptable. Opponents of Prop 36 argue it could bring California back to an era of mass incarceration. Is that a concern? I'm not concerned about that because it's not written that way. You're running for Congress in a district that leans Democratic. Are you taking a different campaign approach than other Republicans?   I'm going to work with people across the aisle to be as effective as I can. That's been my record as mayor, and that will be my record in Congress. There's going to be times where my own party may not agree with a decision that I make. But my responsibility is to the people of California’s 9th Congressional District. What’s going to be the make-or-break issue for your district in the election? It's going to be inflation. Inflation, border security and crime, those are the three issues that are important to people in this district. IT’S TUESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to tkatzenberger@politico.com. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY SUMMER LIVING IN CALIFORNIA: Gov. Gavin Newsom surveyed damage in Kern County today from the Borel Fire, part of a bad spate of wildfires that have burned 18 times more acres so far this year than the five-year average. The 57,306-acre Borel Fire destroyed an old mining town northeast of Bakersfield and was only 17 percent contained as of this afternoon. Newsom signed an emergency proclamation directing more state resources to the region, but stopped short of asking for a federal emergency, which would allow individual cash assistance to people, until he got more information about the damage. The trip came two days after his visit to the Park Fire burning through Butte, Tehama and Lassen Counties, where it has grown to the state’s sixth-largest fire on record at 385,000 acres. Newsom made a point today of thanking Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for sending 25 fire engines to California this week, despite their frequent sparring on national hot-button issues like abortion. “We have an open hand, not a closed fist when it comes to emergency management, emergency preparedness,” Newsom said at the press conference in Kern County. ON THE BEATS PALO ALTO PALS: Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance received a warm welcome in Silicon Valley last night as cryptocurrency backers and AI evangelists cheered his message of deregulation, an attendee tells Playbook. The event was hosted by BitGo CEO Mike Belshe at the East Palo Alto Four Seasons. Vance, who has been going through a bit of a trial by fire since former President Donald Trump announced him as a running mate, spoke to a packed ballroom as guests drank beer and wine and nibbled at hamburgers and seafood from a raw bar. A growing number of tech bigwigs, bolstered by Republicans’ laissez faire approach to cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, have rallied behind the Trump campaign in recent weeks, including Marc Andreessen and Elon Musk. While those two weren’t in attendance last night, there were plenty of like-minded tech denizens eager to listen to the Ohio senator, who enjoys close ties with Silicon Valley scions like Peter Thiel and David Sacks.  John-Paul Deol, a partner at the San Francisco-based Dhillon Law Group, Inc., told Playbook that Vance kept the vibe of his 20-minute speech very positive, with one notable exception: a mention of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, whose name drew boos from the crowd. Trump has vowed to fire Gensler if re-elected, as many in the crypto world argue he’s been too tough on regulating the industry. Otherwise, Vance stuck to retelling his story of climbing out of poverty and spoke briefly about needing to reinvigorate the tech industry. Deol said Vance received multiple standing ovations. “I am one of those people who tends to kind of fall asleep during long political speeches,” Deol said. “And I did not at all.” Vance is scheduled to travel down I-5 to Harris Ranch on Wednesday for a Central Valley fundraiser. — Lara Korte GAVIN’S WINGMAN: San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said today counties need to step up their enforcement of a new state law that makes it easier to appoint a conservator for people suffering from severe mental illness or addiction. And he’s not being nice about it. Gloria, who also chairs California’s Big City Mayors coalition, said the counties’ delayed enforcement of the law “is unacceptable and is costing people their lives.” It’s partially directed at his own county, which has yet to adopt the changes and must do so by January 2026. His statement comes days after Newsom said in a letter he was “disappointed” that just two of California’s 58 counties, San Francisco and San Luis Obispo, had expanded mental health conservatorship laws. If you’ll recall: Newsom has accused San Diego County of moving too slowly before. Earlier this month, the governor withdrew $10 million in state funding for 150 tiny homes there. Newsom said he would redirect the money to another jurisdiction after county supervisors took too long to approve a plan. Critics of expanded conservatorship say the policy threatens to overburden the state’s mental health system and imperil civil rights for disadvantaged groups, especially people of color and those with disabilities. WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY — Paul Dans is stepping down from his role leading Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s controversial blueprint for a potential second Trump presidency. Work on the presidential transition project will continue. (POLITICO) — Kamala Harris was expected to have trouble fundraising. But big donors are lining up in droves now that she’s running for president, and the main reason is simple: she’s not Joe Biden. (POLITICO) — A top San Francisco nonprofit leader was arrested today on allegations she misused public money for lavish parties and luxury gift boxes. Prosecutors claim her scheme involved fake invoices, wage theft and a custom-made stamp for forging signatures. (San Francisco Chronicle) AROUND THE STATE — Fresno’s city council voted unanimously this week to ban homeless encampments on public property, the latest California city to do so since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the topic. Those who refuse to move and decline offers of shelter or services may face citations, fines and arrests on misdemeanor charges. (Fresno Bee) — Police and city workers in San Francisco began “aggressive” homeless encampment sweeps this morning, making good on Mayor London Breed’s promise to ramp up enforcement in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling. Homeless people were not notified of the sweeps ahead of time. (San Francisco Standard) — California’s Department of Public Health is investigating several cases of Valley fever — a potentially deadly fungal infection — among those who attended the Lightning in a Bottle music festival in late May at Buena Vista Lake. (San Francisco Chronicle)   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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