San Francisco – In the race for the District 10 supervisor seat, candidate Theo Ellington has attracted a $500,000 contribution from Ripple co‑founder Chris Larsen. The donation, made on Sept. 3 to a political action committee supporting Ellington, is the largest single contribution recorded in a San Francisco supervisor contest.
Candidate’s stance on the gift
Ellington, who serves as executive director of the Bayview Opera House, told Mission Local that he never asked for the money and that the PAC’s donation will not control his campaign. “Outside organizations make their own decisions about how they participate in elections,” he said. “They do not speak for me or our campaign.” He added that he will work with anyone who offers constructive ideas for neighborhoods that have long been overlooked.
Larsen’s expectations
During a sit‑down interview at Ripple’s headquarters, Larsen praised Ellington’s “pragmatism” and said the candidate is “cut from the same cloth” as Mayor Daniel Lurie, whose initiatives Larsen has funded for years. Larsen expects Ellington to cooperate with the mayor rather than undermine his agenda. When asked what he hoped to gain from the gift, Larsen replied, “What do I need? I could be anywhere.”
Policy focus: AI data‑center moratorium
Ellington has signaled that, if elected, he would support a moratorium on AI data‑center construction in District 10 – a concern voiced by many local residents worried about noise, traffic and environmental impact. Larsen agreed that the stance makes sense, noting that the AI industry has struggled with public perception. He called a moratorium “a good thing for the industry” because it would give companies time to improve their community relations.
Broader tech interest in District 10
Ellington’s race is drawing increasing attention from the city’s tech community. Prologis, the world’s largest industrial landlord, is building a logistics hub in Bayview, and the nearby Dogpatch area has become a hub for tech offices such as Y Combinator. Other tech donors have already contributed smaller amounts: Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, gave the maximum $500, and several executives, including Sachin Agarwal, made similar contributions.
Community reaction
Supporters argue that Ellington’s broad coalition – working‑people unions, neighborhood residents, and Democrats with diverse perspectives – reflects a balanced approach. “Theo has the experience, energy and commitment to deliver on these objectives for S.F.,” said Tan in a statement.
Opponents, however, warn that such a large donation could create expectations of influence. Natalie Gee, an aide to incumbent Supervisor Shamann Walton, called the gift “unheard of” and suggested it could come with strings attached. District 10 candidate Shawn Richard, who founded the nonprofit Brothers Against Guns, urged Ellington to donate the money to local churches or nonprofits instead of keeping it for campaign use.
Campaign strategy
Political consultants say the $500,000 could be spent quickly in the final two months before the election, focusing on a targeted ground game, door‑to‑door outreach, and digital/text messaging. “We’d probably put most of it into a paid, targeted ground game to pick up where volunteers leave off,” said Sacramento‑based consultant Steve Maviglio.
Ellington maintains that the tech contributions are only one piece of a larger, community‑driven effort. “Look at the coalition supporting this campaign: working people and unions, neighborhood residents … Democrats, and people with very different perspectives on San Francisco politics. They don’t agree on everything,” he said. “Neither do I.”
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
