Mayor Daniel Lurie stands at the center of a centrist coalition reshaping San Francisco politics — a push that Politico reported included a Believe in SF PAC that “just raised nearly $1.8 million” to back favored candidates, while Fox News cited a local poll placing Lurie’s approval near 74%. That mix of spending and high favorability helps explain June primary wins for moderate allies and the defeat of a corporate tax measure.
Daniel Lurie and the centrist shift
Daniel Lurie was elected in 2024 as a moderate Democrat focused on downtown revitalization and public safety. In recent weeks his political standing has been bolstered by coordinated spending from centrist groups and positive polling cited in national coverage, factors observers say are changing how races are fought and which issues dominate local debate.
What changed in San Francisco politics
The June primary produced a string of results favorable to moderates. Coverage ties those outcomes to organized efforts by Believe in SF and allied groups that targeted supervisor contests and a corporate tax measure. Politico reported the PAC activity and fundraising totals that supporters say were aimed at protecting gains on downtown policy and public safety initiatives.
Coverage from Fox News and others framed the moment as a broader shift in voter mood: more support for aggressive downtown cleanup and revitalization efforts, and skepticism about new corporate taxes. Observers emphasize that electoral momentum and public sentiment both matter when city leaders propose concrete policy changes.
Who funds the push and how it works
The center-right funding ecosystem in recent local races includes Believe in SF and affiliated organizations such as Neighbors for a Better San Francisco. Politico described Believe in SF’s PAC activity and quoted the figure that the PAC “just raised nearly $1.8 million” to support preferred candidates and measures.
Reporting characterizes the operation as a coordinated group of nonprofit and PAC entities that direct resources into advertising, canvassing and voter outreach. Politico used the phrase “political machine” to describe the coordination; that wording is the outlet’s characterization rather than a legal finding and is quoted here as such.
That $1.8 million number comes from Politico’s reporting and should be verified against official filings. Local campaign-finance disclosures and the San Francisco Ethics Commission filings are the primary sources to confirm whether the figure includes direct cash, transfers between affiliated entities, or in-kind contributions.
Local results and voter mood
Two supervisor candidates identified in recent coverage as Lurie allies, Alan Wong and Stephen Sherrill, won their contests by comfortable margins; outlets tie their success to targeted spending and a message focused on public safety and downtown recovery. Voters also rejected a union-backed corporate tax measure that would have targeted large employers, a result observers connect to the centrist campaign against the tax.
Polling coverage cited in national writeups places Lurie’s approval near 74%. That figure was reported in Fox News’ summary of the political landscape; the original pollster or poll release should be checked directly for methodology and timing to confirm the sample and margin of error before treating the number as definitive.
A local voice captured by national coverage noted the change in mood: a San Francisco small-business owner quoted in reporting said, “We’re starting to see more customers back on the street,” reflecting the street-level optimism some voters and merchants describe as linked to downtown-focused policies.
What this means for policy in the near term
Practically, the centrist wins are likely to make it easier in the short term for city leaders to pursue downtown revitalization programs, prioritize public-safety initiatives, and oppose new taxes on large employers. With a more moderate-leaning board faction, proposals emphasizing business incentives, more enforcement in commercial corridors, and targeted cleanup projects are likelier to advance.
Campaign spending that favors moderates can also shape the board’s approach to homelessness responses, permitting and business regulation. However, translating electoral gains into durable policy will depend on specific legislative proposals, vote counts on the board of supervisors, and whether promised results materialize on the streets and in city services.
Analysts in the reporting caution that victories in a single primary do not guarantee long-term dominance: ongoing governance performance, future fundraising and evolving voter concerns will all affect whether the centrist shift holds.
By the numbers
• Politico-reported PAC funds associated with Believe in SF: nearly $1.8 million (Politico — verify via SF Ethics Commission filings)
• Lurie approval cited in coverage: ~74% (reported by Fox News — verify poll source)
• Notable supervisor wins cited in coverage: Alan Wong and Stephen Sherrill
• Corporate tax measure: rejected by voters in the June primary
Source notes and outstanding questions
This analysis draws on two primary news reports: Politico’s coverage of Believe in SF’s fundraising and PAC activity and a Fox News summary of the local political landscape and polling. Politico reported the Believe in SF PAC “just raised nearly $1.8 million” to back favored candidates and measures in the June primary; that figure is attributed to Politico’s reporting and should be checked against the San Francisco Ethics Commission and filings from Believe in SF for an exact breakdown of donations and whether affiliated entities or in-kind contributions are included.
Fox News reported the roughly 74% approval rating cited above. We were not able to independently confirm the original pollster from those summaries; readers and reporters should seek the original poll release or local outlets (for example the San Francisco Chronicle or recognized local pollsters) to confirm methodology, timing and sample size.
Outstanding questions that merit follow-up reporting: a full donor breakdown for Believe in SF and allied groups, whether the reported PAC totals include transfers among affiliated organizations or significant in-kind support, the named pollster and methodology behind the 74% approval figure, and how newly elected supervisors will vote on concrete downtown, public-safety and tax proposals.
For verification: consult the San Francisco Ethics Commission and campaign finance filings from Believe in SF and related entities; review the original Politico and Fox News articles for their sourcing; and look for primary poll releases from local research firms or newsrooms for the approval figures cited.
Source attribution: This article draws on reporting from Politico and Fox News. See Fox News’ summary here: Fox News, and Politico’s reporting here: Politico. Additional verification should come from San Francisco Ethics Commission filings and original poll releases.
