San Francisco mayor berates Dem rival in debate for not knowing names of local drag queens

On Monday night at San Francisco's mayoral debates, Mayor London Breed took aim at her top Democrat rival, former supervisor and interim mayor Mark Farrell, for being unable to name three drag queens in the city. She attempted to weaponize her support for the LGBTQ community to appeal to voters after she had spent the last debate playing defense and countering blows about her performance as mayor in a city that has been defiled by crime.

Farrell, who is the most moderate of the Democrat candidates and is trouncing London Breed in internal polls, responded by speaking about his support for the LGBTQ community and touting his track record. But he could not name a local drag queen, which angered the LGBTQ community.

Each candidate was allotted one prepared question to ask another, and Mayor Breed saved hers for Farrell.

"You were at the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club and couldn't name any LGBT advisers to your campaign. You were at the debate last week and couldn't name any drag queens on your own," Breed said to Farrell. "This is an opportunity to redeem yourself if you could name three LGBTQ advisers to your campaign and three drag queens in San Francisco."

In response to Breed's question, Farrell responded: "So, we're not gonna revise the drag queen question from last week."

He then touted his track record with the LGBTQ community when he was the supervisor and interim mayor of the city. Farrell said he has support from queer community members, such as former District 8  supervisor Jeff Sheehy who he called a "close friend and supporter" of his campaign. Additionally, Farrell told Breed that he has multiple members of the LGBTQ community on his campaign staff but did not name them on claims that he did not want to "dignify" the question.

This question came after Mayor Breed put Farrell in her crosshairs all night, per the San Francisco Gate. She ridiculed Farrell and his pledge to "restore" police staffing levels when he was temporary mayor.

"When Mark Farrell was temporary mayor of San Francisco, property crime was up, car break-ins were up, and violent crime was up," said Breed. However, the incumbent mayor has also been unable to restore police staffing levels and the mass exodus of businesses due to skyrocketing crime has occurred under her watch, though she did increase police funding.

More than 400 people showed up on Monday night to watch the five candidates faceoff.