Matt Gonzalez

Matthew Edward Gonzalez (born June 4, 1965) is an American politician, lawyer, and activist.

After graduating from McAllen Memorial High School, he attended Columbia University, from which he graduated in 1987.

In 1990, he earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School.

Gonzalez began working as a trial lawyer at the Office of the Public Defender in San Francisco in 1991.

Gonzalez entered politics when he ran for San Francisco District Attorney in 1999.

He campaigned to halt political corruption and marijuana prosecutions.

Gonzalez lost to incumbent Terence Hallinan.

In a field of five candidates, he finished third with 20,153 votes (11 percent of the total).

A system of electing supervisors by district rather than citywide took effect in 2000.

At the urging of Supervisor Tom Ammiano, Gonzalez moved from his home in the Mission District to run for supervisor in newly made District 5.

In early November, shortly before the runoff election, Gonzalez switched party affiliations from the Democratic Party to the nascent Green Party.

His opponent, Juanita Owens, tried to capitalize on many Democrats' ill feelings toward the Green Party in the wake of Ralph Nader's involvement in the acrimonious 2000 presidential election, but Gonzalez won the runoff election.

He was part of a slate of candidates who wanted to change the direction of city policy, in opposition to the "Brown machine," a Democratic Party political machine that had dominated local politics for over 30 years behind Mayor Willie Brown, the Pelosi family, and other Democrats.

His supporters saw his election as a turning point in local politics.

Gonzalez's critics considered him a stubborn and willful ideologue, though supporters noted his commitment to stand firm on principles over politicking.

When the Board put forth a resolution commending San Franciscan Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi for being elected House Minority Whip and being the first woman to hold that position, Gonzalez was the only board member who voted against it.

Gonzalez said that supervisors should not issue commendations for winning partisan political positions and that he had written a personal note to Pelosi congratulating her, as she had done him for being elected board president.

Gonzalez refused to meet with Brown during his first two years on the Board of Supervisors, saying he did so to avoid being subject to Brown's influence rather than as a matter of disrespect.

Although Gonzalez was endorsed by several key local Democrats, including five members of the Board of Supervisors, national Democratic figures, concerned about Ralph Nader's role in the 2000 presidential election, campaigned on Newsom's behalf.

Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Jesse Jackson, Dianne Feinstein, and Nancy Pelosi all campaigned for Newsom.

He served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2001 to 2005 and was president of the Board.

Gonzalez served one term on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2001 to 2005.

Two sources reported that Gonzalez defied Brown by walking out of the mayor's State of the City address in 2002.

However, Gonzalez later told SF Weekly that he was never in attendance.

In 2003, Gonzalez, running as a member of the Green Party, lost a race for mayor of San Francisco to Democrat Gavin Newsom.

He was elected president of the board in 2003.

After losing the mayoral election in 2003, he chose not to seek re-election.

In January 2003, Gonzalez was elected president of the Board of Supervisors after seven rounds of voting, most of which had Gonzalez vying for a majority vote with supervisors Aaron Peskin and Sophie Maxwell.

When Peskin dropped out Gonzalez emerged the winner, counting among his supporters conservative Board member Tony Hall, who said when asked why he voted for Gonzalez, "Gonzalez is a man of integrity and intelligence who will carry out his responsibilities fairly and impartially."

Gonzalez hosted monthly art exhibits in his City Hall office.

At the last reception, graffiti artist Barry McGee spray-painted "Smash the State" on the walls of the office as part of his exhibit." Gonzalez told the press that he knew his office would be repainted for the next occupant.

In August 2003, Gonzalez ran for mayor of San Francisco in a bid to replace outgoing two-term mayor Willie Brown.

On a ballot with nine candidates, Gonzalez finished second in the primary election on November 4 behind Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and fellow member of the Board of Supervisors who had been endorsed by Brown.

Gonzalez received 19.6 percent of the total vote to Newsom's 41.9 percent.

Because none of the candidates received a majority, a run-off election was held on December 9.

Gonzalez faced a difficult run-off election; only 3 percent of voters in San Francisco were registered to the Green Party, the party to which he belonged.

In the 2008 presidential election, Gonzalez ran for vice president as the running mate of candidate Ralph Nader.

, he works as the Chief Attorney at the San Francisco Public Defender's Office.

Matthew Edward Gonzalez was born in McAllen, Texas.

His father, a division chief for the international tobacco company Brown & Williamson, moved the family to New Orleans, Baltimore, and Louisville, Kentucky, before resettling in McAllen when Gonzalez was eleven years old.