The folks in Land Park, downtown and midtown better get ready for an intense campaign season.
The city's big special interest groups are splitting their allegiances in the race for the area's open City Council seat, meaning multiple candidates are going to have the cash and manpower to mount intense campaigns before the June primary.
In a somewhat unusual situation, interest groups that normally align with one another are disagreeing on whom to support. Seven candidates are running for the District 4 seat being vacated by two-term Councilman Rob Fong, and residents of the district are already reporting multiple visits to their homes from many candidates.
The most recent endorsement announced was the news Wednesday that the influential Sacramento Central Labor Council was supporting Terry Schanz. Schanz, the policy director for Assemblyman Isadore Hall, D-Compton, also has the support of the Sacramento County Young Democrats.
Normally, those endorsements would come with the support of the city's other major Democratic interests. But that's not the case.
Joseph Yee, a city planning commissioner, is supported by the Democratic Party of Sacramento. He also has the backing of the local plumber's union, which acts as the financial muscle for Democratic interests in town.
Council members Sandy Sheedy, Kevin McCarty and Darrell Fong have also endorsed Yee, as has Sacramento Supervisor Jimmie Yee (no relation).
On the other end, attorney Phyllis Newton has the support of Region Builders, a coalition of building trade groups. Newton also appears to have the inside track on the support of other pro-business groups.
Those organizations and the city police union have worked closely together recently. Not in this race.
The Sacramento Police Officers Association has endorsed downtown advocate Steve Hansen.
All of this means that a record field of candidates is likely to be backed by a record amount of financial support. And that means a lot of campaigning this spring in Land Park and the central city.
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