On a sunny Sunday afternoon in Potrero Hill, one of San Francisco’s most affluent neighborhoods, candidate J.R. Eppler could be seen walking door‑to‑door with a messenger bag full of flyers. The lawyer‑turned‑politician paused to answer a resident’s shout, “J.R., are you with Connie or Scott?” and replied without hesitation, “With Connie.” Eppler’s personal outreach reflects his broader strategy to connect directly with the roughly 30,751 households in District 10.

Grassroots outreach in a diverse district

Eppler estimates he has personally knocked on more than a thousand doors, adding to the 2,000‑plus doors reached by his campaign team. By his count, that represents about ten percent of the district’s households. The district stretches from the upscale streets of Potrero Hill to the historically Black neighborhoods of Bayview‑Hunters Point, Dogpatch and Visitacion Valley, each with distinct needs and concerns.

“I’ve been working in the neighborhood for over a decade, and I’m making sure we get the resources we need to be better connected to the rest of the city,” Eppler told a resident who admitted she was hungover but stayed for the conversation. He highlighted concrete projects he helped secure, such as a $5 million contribution from the University of California, San Francisco for the remodel of Esprit Park in Dogpatch and a new stair connection linking the waterfront to the Potrero Hill Recreation Center.

Three‑way race and key endorsements

The District 10 supervisor race has narrowed to three contenders. Theo Ellington, a Bayview native and executive director of the Ruth Williams Bayview Opera House, is viewed as the frontrunner. DJ Brookter, a nonprofit director from Bayview, carries the endorsement of the term‑limited Supervisor Shamann Walton, who is stepping down.

Eppler, the only white front‑running candidate in a district that has been represented by a Black supervisor since 2001, positions himself as a community volunteer rather than a career politician. “It’s my form of service. It’s the work that I want to do, and I’ll do it in elected office or as a volunteer,” he told a resident, emphasizing his belief that elected office would amplify his impact.

Funding and the anti‑billionaire strategy

Campaign finance disclosures show Eppler trailing Ellington in contributions, with $181,777 raised through public financing and private donations as of Oct. 22, and nearly $59,000 coming directly from donors. Both Eppler and Brookter have publicly embraced an “anti‑billionaire” ranked‑choice voting strategy after a pro‑Ellington political action committee received a $500,000 donation, followed by a $40,000 contribution from cryptocurrency billionaire Chris Larsen – the largest sums ever recorded in a San Francisco supervisor race.

Despite the high‑profile money, Eppler’s Sunday canvassing focused on personal interaction rather than fundraising talk. He stressed that he is “not paid to be there and not representing a large interest,” framing his candidacy as a genuine service to the community.

Community ties and future plans

Eppler’s local roots run deep. He first visited San Francisco at age 12, later attended Stanford University and UCLA Law School, and moved to the city in 2007 to practice business and corporate law. After living in SoMa, he settled in Potrero Hill in 2010. He has served on the Potrero Gateway Park Steering Committee and was secretary of the Friends of the Dogpatch Community Hub from 2017 to 2025.

During the contentious 2022 redistricting process, Eppler worked with residents of Bayview and Visitacion Valley to keep District 10 intact, preserving continuity for public‑housing communities. He also helped establish the 15‑Bayview Hunters Point express bus line, improving transit for the southeast neighborhoods.

Voter impressions

Residents encountered on the streets offered mixed but generally positive feedback. One neighbor, who has lived in the area for over two decades, said, “You’re the first guy running for supervisor who’s ever knocked on my door.” Another, wearing paint‑splattered utility pants, told Eppler, “We’re voting for you,” reinforcing the personal connection Eppler seeks to build.

As the election approaches, Eppler’s door‑to‑door strategy underscores his belief that direct community engagement remains the most effective way to earn voters’ trust in a district marked by both affluence and long‑standing challenges.

Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.