Daniel Lurie: San Francisco's moderate next mayor
Lurie beat a fellow Democrat, incumbent Mayor London Breed, for the job


The City by the Bay will soon have a new leader, as Democrat Daniel Lurie was elected the next mayor of San Francisco on Nov. 7. Lurie, a political newcomer, beat a fellow Democrat, incumbent Mayor London Breed, to earn the city's top job. He won the mayoral race by a large margin; Lurie led through all 14 rounds of the city's ranked-choice voting system and beat Breed by more than 34,000 votes in the final round.
While Breed, the first Black woman mayor of San Francisco, was seen as among the most progressive leaders in the city's history, Lurie took a more moderate, centrist approach throughout his campaign. Having survived allegations of buying the race, Lurie will now look to implement a series of changes when he takes office on Jan. 6.
Who is Daniel Lurie?
Lurie was born in San Francisco in 1977. Through his mother Mimi Haas and stepfather Peter Haas, Lurie is an heir to one of the most recognizable clothing brands in American history: Levi Strauss & Co. Both the "Levi's name and Haas family philanthropic foundations are deeply embedded in San Francisco's history and identity," said CBS News. Lurie's biological father also has well-known connections within the city.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Lurie graduated from Duke University and worked on Democratic policymaking before starting his best-known venture, Tipping Point Community. This nonprofit group has "invested $440 million over more than 200 organizations helping Bay Area residents on a path out of poverty," according to its website. Lurie announced his mayoral run last year and invested nearly $9 million of his own money in the campaign, helping him surge to victory.
What will he do as San Francisco's mayor?
Though he was new to politics, Lurie "delivered a clear message" that would broadly resonate with dissatisfied residents craving change and eventually help win him the election," said the San Francisco Chronicle. Under Breed's tenure, problems continued to plague San Francisco, with "open-air drug dealing, brazen retail thefts and empty downtown offices tarnishing the city’s reputation," and Lurie argued that an outsider was needed to tackle these issues.
Lurie's mandate is to "show how government must deliver on its promises: clean and safe streets for all, tackling our drug and behavioral health crisis, shaking up the corrupt and ineffective bureaucracy," the mayor-elect said in his victory speech. He also pledged to build more affordable housing and revitalize the city's businesses.
One of Lurie's main plans is to "declare a state of emergency on fentanyl on his first day in office in January," said The New York Times. This included a pledge to "shut down the open-air fentanyl markets that had proliferated in the city's Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods." He vowed during his campaign to "build 1,500 new shelter beds in his first six months in office, make drug treatment available to anyone who wants it and use ankle monitors to track first-time drug dealers."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
His election isn't a total surprise, as Lurie's win "marks the latest in a push, not only in San Francisco but across California, to more moderate candidates and tough-on-crime policies," said USA Today. Similarly, Los Angeles' progressive district attorney was also ousted in favor of a more moderate candidate.
But while Lurie has pledged to clean up San Francisco, some have questioned how effective he can be. Lurie will be the city's first mayor in more than 100 years to not have prior government experience — though "his decades-long ties to the city's political, philanthropic and social elite through his anti-poverty nonprofit, Tipping Point, don't exactly make him an outsider either," said The San Francisco Standard.
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
5 hawkish cartoons about Pete Hegseth's meeting of military muscle
Cartoons Artists take on fat generals, bravery medals, and more
-
Why are American conservatives clashing with Pope Leo?
Talking Points Comments on immigration and abortion draw backlash
-
9 haunted hotels where things definitely go bump in the night
The Week Recommends Don’t fear these spirited spots. Embrace them.
-
‘People may use the same tactics for very different reasons’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Why Trump is so focused on getting a Nobel Peace Prize
The Explainer A recent poll found that three-quarters of Americans say Trump doesn’t deserve the award
-
Trump’s plan for a government shutdown: mass firings
IN THE SPOTLIGHT As lawmakers scramble to avoid a shutdown, the White House is making plans for widespread layoffs that could lead to a permanent federal downsizing
-
The US and Colombia renew their feud over the drug war
In the Spotlight The US has accused Colombia of failing in its drug-fighting efforts
-
Democrats’ strategy to woo voters for 2026: religion
The Explainer Politicians like Rob Sand and James Talarico have made a name for themselves pushing their faith
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years for coup attempt
Speed Read Bolsonaro was convicted of attempting to stay in power following his 2022 election loss
-
Why does Donald Trump keep showing up at major sporting events?
Today's Big Question Trump has appeared at the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500 and other events
-
Home Depots are the new epicenters of ICE raids
In the Spotlight The chain has not provided many comments on the ongoing raids