Moderates beat out the progressives in the race to become Democratic Party delegates in Marc Berman’s Assembly District 23, according to vote totals released tonight (March 3).
The winning slate was Democrats United AD23. It included former Valley Water board member and match.com founder Gary Kremen, Campbell Mayor Sergio Lopez and Saratoga Councilwom an Yan Zhao, who is running for Santa Clara County Assessor in 2026, Stanford researcher Joby Bernstein and former Mountain View council candidate IdaRose Sylvester.
Palo Alto Councilman Greer Stone, a moderate, was the top vote-getter in the category of Other Than Self-identified Female, with 392 votes. He also was elected to the AD23 executive board with 392 votes.
Santa Clara County Supervisor and former Mountain View councilwoman Margaret Abe-Koga was tops in the Self-Identified Female category with 442 votes.
The losing slate, called North Star Democrats, included Palo Alto Councilwoman Julie Lythcott-Haims, former Portola Valley Mayor Maryann Moise, former Mountain View City Council candidate Erick Poicon and Nicole Chiu-Wang, who ran unsuccessfully for Palo Alto school board in 2022 and 2024.
All California Democrats are eligible to vote. The voting began Feb. 23.
“Other Than Self Identified Female”? Really? Is this a freak show.
Moderate candidates won and this reflects Palo Alto’s needs and the whole democratic Party needs. The needs of our Democratic Party are not reflected by Julie Lythcott-Haims or Nicole Chiu-Wang platform, they do not represent our city’s interests as indicated by PAUSD election and other elections.
They couldn’t have chosen sillier names for these gender categories. I don’t think people have a problem with being inclusive, but how about “Female identifying” and “Male, non-binary, or other identifying” as the category names? Much more direct and just looks less goofy to say that Greer Stone won the “Other Than Self-identified Female” category.
I’m also interested to know why we have gender quotas.
Glad to see that voters are finally wising up and choosing less extreme delegates who won’t — for a change — just back the least experienced most malleable candidates who mainly serve deep-pocketed developers.
They couldn’t have chosen sillier names for these gender categories. I don’t think people have a problem with being inclusive, but how about “Female identifying” and “Male, non-binary, or other identifying” as the category names? Much more direct and just looks less goofy to say that Greer Stone won the “Other Than Self-identified Female” category.
I’m also interested to know why we have gender quotas.
Californians are getting sick and tired of paying taxes only to have destructive progressive projects shoved down their throats with no recourse. You’re going to see a lot more moderates win races over the next few years.
Of the 50 states, California has the highest homelessness, second highest energy prices, sixth highest crime, and our kids rank in the bottom third in Reading and Math. We can’t execute infrastructure projects like high speed rail. We have the highest income tax in the nation but can’t balance a budget. Public agencies like BART demand bailouts every other year. Housing costs have done nothing but rise. Insurance companies are leaving the state. And our public pensions will eventually bankrupt us.
And CADEM? A social club for people in some other universe to debate SIF vs OSIF. A club for people who have not only forgotten how to actually do anything, but have lost the ability even to tell the difference. This group is no different.
In ten years, California will be a Red State. If there are even still elections then.
How can this be accurate? Why would Rebecca Eisenberg our defender do so poorly?
It’s refreshing to see moderates gaining ground in the Democratic Party. We’ve had enough of extremism in any form, and it’s encouraging to see voters recognizing that.
Once again, Palo Alto voters have made themselves clear: they’re not buying into extremes. We saw it loud and clear in November when both Julie Lythcott-Haims and Nicole Chiu-Wang lost—because what they were selling just doesn’t speak to this community.
And with Julie, it’s not just about her politics. It’s the baggage: the inappropriate student relationship at Stanford she tried to hide, the decision to run against Joe Simitian and split the vote, and her shameful refusal to acknowledge antisemitism. Palo Alto deserves better, and voters know it.
It’s refreshing to see moderates gaining ground in the Democratic Party. We’ve had enough of extremism in any form, and it’s encouraging to see voters recognizing that.
Moderate candidates won and this reflects Palo Alto’s needs.
Julie Lythcott-Haims and Nicole Chiu-Wang (whose supporters tried to influence votes by giving out donuts right outside of the polling location on election day) need to realize that their views are not representative of the majority of Palo Altans.
Is a moderate somebody who supported defunding the police? Does a moderate believe men should compete in women’s sports? Does a moderate support higher bridge tolls? Does a moderate support every tax proposal to come down the pike? How, exactly, is a “moderate” defined in Palo Alto?
Thank goodness we have moderate voices in this roll. Another affirmation that our community is tired and angry about the progressive agendas.
Yeah, Julie Lythcott-Haimes, Nicole Chu-Wang and Rebecca Eisenberg are loons. You only need to pick up a paper to know that. But if they weren’t trying to cobble together a political career with their wacko beliefs, the rest of us would be missing out on some great entertainment. My guess is that all three of them believe the moon landing was faked, 9/11 was an inside job and eliminating bail will reduce the crime rate.
How is it that you put JLH, NCW and Rebecca in same category. Rebecca is not alligned with them. You may not like her style, most people don’t, but she’s doing important work bringing the heinous, deeply entrenched corruption in Santa Clara Valley Water ($10B budget – all of it taxpayer money) to light. Also, she was hardly recognized as a candidate. Please do elaborate on that comment.
I am confused about “Other Than Self Identified Female”? How come Julie Lythcott-Haimes is on one list and Nicole Chu-Wang is on the other one?
I would like the city council, especially former Mayor Burt to investigate the bathroom situation during meetings. Maybe Don Austin can use his bathroom team here.