By Katherine Petersen
As the second-largest city in Santa Clara County, Sunnyvale appears to hold political weight for several candidates in upcoming county and state elections.
Three Democratic candidates in separate races recently set up campaign headquarters downtown, on or near revitalized South Murphy Avenue next to Sunnyvale Town Center. Their presence offers citizens convenient means to get to know potential representatives and may generate additional business for area merchants, who can provide goods, services and power-lunch settings for candidates and campaign staff.
"Campaigns get people to come out to lunch and dinner, and we're right in the heart of it," said Pasquale Piazza, a chef at Il Postale.
Within five blocks of one another, Patricia Sausedo, a contender for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in District 3, Elaine Alquist, a candidate for state Assembly in District 22, and Tom Hayes, a hopeful for state Senate District 13, have set up shop.
Suzi Blackman, executive director of Sunnyvale's Chamber of Commerce, said Sunnyvale is a key city in the '96 primary and general elections. She thinks the proximity of the campaign headquarters to downtown merchants, restaurants and shopping malls will offer residents an opportunity to speak directly with politicians.
"Sometimes, politicians in Washington and Sacramento are seen as being far away," she said. "With them in our back yard, now is the time for them to hear our concerns and opinions. Sunnyvale voters will be missing a bet if they don't take advantage of this, because it'll never be this easy again."
Doug Winslow, president of American Data Management of Mountain View, a company that provides data and printing services to many Democratic candidates, said Sunnyvale voters hold a lot of power in deciding the outcomes of the '96 races, he said.
Sunnyvale represents 32 percent of registered voters in county Board of Supervisors District 3, 18.7 percent of voters in state Senate District 13 and 31.8 percent of voters in state Assembly District 22. The city may have a slightly higher impact on election outcomes than San Jose because a higher percentage of people here tend to vote, Winslow said.
If he were running a campaign, Winslow said he would want his candidate to be in the place where he or she is least known. If Sunnyvale is that place, the location of these three campaign offices is a savvy one because it gives the candidates better access to voters for precinct walking and other activities, he said.
Sausedo, a former San Jose City Council member, said she takes Sunnyvale seriously and wants to represent its residents on the Board of Supervisors. Sausedo held a campaign kickoff on Jan. 13 that coincided with the Saturday morning farmers' market.
"Sunnyvale is a community that has worked hard to become well-run and centralized and to maintain its ambiance. I feel that, if I want to represent [residents], I need to let them see that I know where Washington Park is. I'm more than willing to spend time in Sunnyvale," she said.
Sausedo, who is renting the space at 180 S. Murphy Ave., said she favors supporting local businesses. "Murphy Avenue is wonderful. It's a pleasant street to spend time on. Some folks I will be exposing this to will become frequent visitors," she said.
The candidate said she could have located her offices in a retail strip on El Camino Real, the city street with the most traffic volume. But she chose South Murphy Avenue because she believes it embodies the city's sense of community more than any other spot in Sunnyvale.
Like Sausedo, Hayes considers Sunnyvale an important city in his campaign, given the population and the profile of its voters. He said Sunnyvale voters are representative of the overall district: They work for high-tech companies and are under age 40 with families.
"This campaign will be won or lost in Sunnyvale," he said.
Hayes, director of global corporate affairs for Applied Materials, said he is better known in San Jose, where he lives, than in Sunnyvale. The candidate is renting an office at 105 Town and Country Village to "make a statement about our commitment to Sunnyvale." He agreed with the notion that volunteers and workers might provide a boost to Sunnyvale's economy.
Hayes said one reason he chose his location at Washington and South Mathilda avenues is good visibility. "People are walking in and getting a chance to meet with me and my staff. It's a nice, neighborly way to do a campaign, and we like the way it feels," he said.
He said the foot and automobile traffic that pass by his office are important in building a successful grass-roots campaign. He thinks his message will be well-received here.
"I believe I'm a good candidate for the Sunnyvale voter, and I want to win Sunnyvale," he said.
Alquist, too, believes she would represent Sunnyvale well, having served eight years on the Cupertino Union School District board. The district's Sunnyvale schools include Cupertino Junior High and three elementary schools.
"I know the community. I know the people's issues, and they are my issues. For many years, I lived within a mile of Sunnyvale, and Sunnyvale is the heart and mind of the 22nd Assembly District," she said.
Alquist's campaign headquarters occupies donated space at 380 Altair Way. She said that many people are supporting her because they've walked by and seen her signs.
"I think it shows good thinking to be located here. Sunnyvale has the largest percentage of voters in the district," she said.
Alquist also touts the benefits of good parking and a safe environment for her workers and volunteers. "People can feel safe coming in day or night. I was concerned for them," she said.
In addition to housing campaign offices, Sunnyvale is home to three Republican candidates in the March primary. Cindy Pocius will appear on the ballot as a candidate in Assembly District 22. Planning Commissioner Mark O'Connor is running for county Board of Supervisors District 5. Muller Trafton is a contender in Congressional District 14, the seat held by Anna Eshoo, a Democrat.
Libertarian Party members Jon Petersen, a candidate in Assembly District 24, and Ed Wimmers, a challenger in Congressional Dis-trict 15, in October announced their candidacy at Raynor Park.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, January 17, 1996
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.