• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Valley Citizen

Pursuing truth toward justice

The Valley Citizen

Pursuing truth toward justice
  • Arts
  • Education
  • Environment
  • History
  • Nature
  • Politics
  • Wit
  • About

Rainbow over Modesto Greets New Mayor Zwahlen

February 3, 2021 By Eric Caine Leave a Comment

Rainbow Modesto Feb 2, 2021
Touchdown?

Some said the rainbow that arced over Modesto early Tuesday morning touched down at Sue Zwahlen’s residence in the city’s college district, but they must have been looking from an odd perspective. To most observers, the rainbow looked like it had one end just outside the city to the southwest, with the other end touching down in the northeast.

February 2 — Tuesday — was the official Election Day for the runoff in Modesto’s race for Mayor. The vote count wasn’t announced until after 8pm that night, but those who thought the lucky symbol boded well for Sue Zwahlen were right. Zwahlen bolted to a huge early lead— 58.33% to Doug Ridenour’s 41.67% — and Ridenour graciously conceded shortly thereafter.

“First, I want to thank Doug for conducting a good and positive campaign,” said Zwhalen as the win became apparent.

“The election was focused on issues and Modesto’s future. That’s good news for all of us. I owe so much to the people who have given me their votes, their resources and their encouragement in this campaign. We face many challenges, but those challenges are not as big as Modesto’s spirit, its commitment to improve our community, and its heart. I will do my best to serve Modesto.”

Most local elections are non-partisan, but this mayor’s race couldn’t avoid the long shadow of Donald Trump. Zwahlen received strong support from Congressman Josh Harder, and from people working in education and health. Ridenour was endorsed by local police and firefighters and by virtually every prominent local Republican. Stanislaus County Supervisors Vito Chiesa and Terry Withrow held a fundraiser for his campaign.

“Sue was a nurse running during the era of Covid,” said Mike Lynch, her campaign manager.

“In the months of this campaign, we never met anyone who actually disliked Sue…Sue has a great ability to disagree or dispute something without making it personal. She had enormous crossover appeal; she will use those skills for Modesto. She uses real words, not sound bites, and the public knew it and clearly wanted it.”

Modesto rainbow Feb 2, 2021

Though Zwahlen finished first in the General Election, many thought Ridenour would do better in the runoff. Total votes for Republicans in the first round were far more than for Zwahlen and Naramsen Goriel, the other Democratic candidate. Zwahlen may have received a boost from Modesto City Councilmember Kristi Ah You, who ran as an Independent and endorsed her shortly after failing to make the runoff.

Early demographic analytics suggest more women voted in the runoff than men, and an unusual number of first-time voters also voted. Historically, the low-turnout runoffs have favored Republicans, but this election featured a much better turnout for Democrats.

“It was a lot of hard work by a lot of people,” said Jessica Self, Chair of the local Democratic Party, “and it’s a lot easier when the candidate is this great.”

Zwahlen’s campaign motto was, “Modesto Needs a Reset,” and that message clearly resonated with a community tired of the bickering and backbiting that was such a dominant feature of Mayor Ted Brandvold’s term in office.

“I’ve known Sue for over twenty-five years, both as a friend and a neighbor,” said Frank Damrell III, who most recently served as Cathleen Galgiani’s Senior District Representative. “Sue Zwahlen is the salve the Modesto City Council needs, and her humble wisdom is the leadership our community needs.

Zwahlen said that, “tackling the issues that weigh heavy on us such as the pandemic and caring for our homeless community members” were two of her chief priorities.

Those who thought Tuesday’s rainbow over Modesto augured well for Sue Zwahlen were at least partially correct. Sue Zwhalen’s fortune and Modesto’s are the same and always have been. Doug Ridenour’s gracious concession drove that point home when he said, putting his city above party and politics, “It’s now time to rally around Sue.”

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: Councilman Doug Ridenour, Doug Ridenour, Sue Zwahlen, Sue Zwahlen for Mayor, Sue Zwahlen for Mayor of Modesto

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Note: Some comments may be held for moderation.

Primary Sidebar

Off The Wire

?Monster Fracks? Are Getting Far Bigger. And Far Thirstier.
“Monster Fracks” Are Getting Far Bigger. And Far Thirstier.
A Times analysis shows that increasingly complex oil and gas wells now require astonishing volumes of water to fracture the bedrock and release fossil fuels, threatening America’s fragile aquifers.
www.nytimes.com
Newsom urges SCOTUS to consider encampment ruling that has 'paralyzed' California cities
Newsom urges SCOTUS to consider encampment ruling that has ‘paralyzed’ California cities
The Democratic governor’s intervention lays down a mark in a legal dispute with potentially profound implications for one of California’s most pressing issues.
www.politico.com
Clarence Thomas Secretly Participated in Koch Network Donor Events
Clarence Thomas Secretly Participated in Koch Network Donor Events
Thomas has attended at least two Koch donor summits, putting him in the extraordinary position of having helped a political network that has brought multiple cases before the Supreme Court.
www.propublica.org
How hungry is California? Millions struggle to eat well in an abundant state
How hungry is California? Millions struggle to eat well in an abundant state
How bad is hunger in California? A lot depends on your access to food aid, which expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic but now is being reduced.
calmatters.org
Sacramento DA sues city over homeless encampments
Sacramento DA sues city over homeless encampments
Sacramento County had nearly 9,300 homeless people in 2022, based on data from the annual Point in Time count. That was up 67% from 2019. Roughly three-quarters of the county’s homeless population….
www.mercurynews.com
At Last, a Real Possibility to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change
At Last, a Real Possibility to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change
After decades of minimal action, Congress passed the largest and most comprehensive piece of climate legislation in U.S. history. Will we make the most of this opportunity?
www.audubon.org
How the fentanyl crisis' fourth wave has hit every corner of the US
How the fentanyl crisis’ fourth wave has hit every corner of the US
The epidemic’s staggering scale and infiltration of communities is laid bare in a new study.
www.bbc.com
Can licensed tent villages ease California's homelessness epidemic? This nonprofit thinks so
Can licensed tent villages ease California’s homelessness epidemic? This nonprofit thinks so
Taking people off the street and into tents is a new twist on homeless shelter being explored by the San Francisco-based Urban Alchemy in two tent villages operating in Los Angeles and Culver City.
www.latimes.com
Mississippi has problems, but it's handling homelessness better than L.A.
Mississippi has problems, but it’s handling homelessness better than L.A.
The public tends to blame homelessness on poverty, drug use, crime or even warm weather. But other cities don’t have L.A. levels of street homelessness because they have more available housing.
www.latimes.com
Neo-Nazis March Through Florida Park
Neo-Nazis March Through Florida Park
The demonstrators raised “Heil Hitler” salutes and waved flags with swastikas.
www.thedailybeast.com
Families have high hopes for Gavin Newsom's CARE Courts. Providers want to lower expectations
Families have high hopes for Gavin Newsom’s CARE Courts. Providers want to lower expectations
Gov. Gavin Newsom?s experiment to push Californians with mental illness off the streets and into treatment, CARE Court, starts soon.
calmatters.org
Pope says 'backward' U.S. conservatives have replaced faith with ideology
Pope says ‘backward’ U.S. conservatives have replaced faith with ideology
Pope Francis has blasted the “backwardness” of some conservatives in the U.S. Catholic Church. He says they have replaced faith with ideology and that a correct understanding of Catholic doctrine allows for change over time.
apnews.com

Find us on Facebook

pp
The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Footer

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Subscribe for Free

* indicates required

Search

• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 The Valley Citizen

Dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Contact us at thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Editor and publisher: Eric Caine

Website customization and maintenance by Susan Henley Design