Fund raising race: why have an election in the first place if it is going to be decided by who raises the most money???
Money detracts from the quality of the candidates and their platforms.
If people are going to be impressed by how much money a candidate can raise, they are obviously not fit to vote intelligently.
Besides, large contributions to politicians are just veiled bribery for later influence and favors.

Have a little faith, Gunther. Money doesn't ALWAYS buy the office.

Meg Whitman has spent $80 million and she has declined in the polls.
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That said, people who spend more money, have better name recognition (such as incumbents) and celebrities, do have an advantage. It's a fact of life and I'm not sure that public funding will remedy this. A famous person or an incumbent is still better known to the public.

If all of their cronies in construction and "investment bankers" lost so much money in the banking crisis, both Gordon and Becker would have had a lot more money to get elected.
Kishimoto, in my eyes, is the one with the "cleanest" background but an endorsement from Mayor Newsom, who is our most honest and really interested politicians in the Bay Area. As for my opinion of Gordon, it means little that I think he is just too tight with big business and is a "ribbon cutter" publicity seeker and not an effective choice no matter how you cut it.(as in ribbon)

It sickens me that fundraising has become so fundamental to being able to serve in public office. When are we going to figure it out? We need to get the money out of the process. Will Proposition 15 be the first step? I'm really struggling with that question, although I'm convinced a system that requires so much money needs to be changed.

To "FOR CHANGE".........there are thousands upon thousands who think like you. This area is one of the most corrupt because there is more money to buy votes, and at the same time, it takes a LOT less money for the rich to buy off its candidates to raise money for their campaign funds.
Examine the choices here carefully......
Only ONE truly honest and reputable choice with an endorsement from one of San Francisco's most honest mayor since the assassinated Harvey Milk. This entire area has been a place of corruption since the mid 50's and then it was GANGLAND money...Just another face today. Corruption is corruption going back to Tamany Hall.

Sorry, TAMMANY HALL.

Rich Gordon has the SEIU, ASFME and San Mateo County Labor Council endorsements. I strongly urge everyone who is not a union member to vote for the candidate who is not beholden to the unions Mr.Josh Becker.

We have got to break this unholy alliance or else the unions will suck us dry.

What are the salaries for the positions of the 21st district?
Someone mentioned that it is very small compared to what they could have reaped in from their former posts....I think kickbacks or a word "favors" cannot be counted.