Part I: What political ambitions lie ahead for Elk Grove's three reelected Trapos - Singh-Allen, Spease & Suen

Although election results have not been certified, it is guaranteed that a trio of Elk Grove City Council members will return for another term. Those three are Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, who presides over city council meetings, and District 1 and 3 city council members Darren Suen and Kevin Spease.

With her election to a third two-year term, Singh-Allen will become the longest-serving mayor in the city's brief history, Suen will begin his third four-year term - he was a vacancy appointment in 2015, and Spease will start his second four-year term.

Each council member has displayed political ambitions outside their current elected positions, so it is worth examining possible paths forward. Given Singh-Allen's alpha dominance over her four city council colleagues, Elk Grove politics for the three Ss starts with her, so let's look at Singh-Allen's political path forward.

Singh-Allen seeks a way out of Elk Grove's local yokel politics

Not long after her 2022 reelection, rumors circulated that Singh-Allen was setting her sights on Washington, D.C. The obvious implication was that Singh-Allen was positioning herself to run for the House of Representatives once current Congresswoman Doris Matsui decided against another term or was defeated, which seems unlikely. Matsui turned 82 recently, so there has been chatter.

According to several sources, that scenario in the next few years is unlikely. One Democratic elected official said Matsui, who has served for over 20 years, will follow the late Senator Diane Feinstein's example and stay around as long as voters will have her.

Even though she is 82, Ms. Matsui shows no sign of slowing down. Besides, if something were to change and Matsui did not run, Democratic Congressman Ami Bera would switch back to the 8th congressional district and run for the seat.

Even though Singh-Allen is a TraPo - Traditional Politician - with unyielding ambition, she knows certain boundaries cannot be broached without retribution. If Congresswoman Matsui continues serving, or even if she leaves office for some other unexpected reason, a congressional run for Singh-Allen will not be on the horizon for several years.

What does that leave for Singh-Allen? There are three possibilities for Singh-Allen - county supervisor, the California Assembly, or the California Senate, so let's look at those possibilities.

Would Singh-Allen run for County Supervisor should Pat Hume not seek reelection, or would she challenge him? Either scenario is unlikely.

First, Singh-Allen and Hume are long-time partying pals. Their social relationship goes back two decades, so even though backstabbing is part of a TraPo's arsenal, this is one person she wouldn't stab. 

Besides, even though Sacramento County Supervisors oversee a sizeable multi-billion-dollar budget that affects the lives of many, there is not enough glamour or visibility to satisfy Singh-Allen's thirst for attention. It seems unlikely that Singh-Allen would run should Hume not seek reelection.  

How about a run against Angelique Ashby for state senator? That, too, appears unlikely.

Singh-Allen doesn't have Ashby's name recognition in the Sacramento portion of the district, which would dim her prospects. Even in Elk Grove, where Ms. Singh-Allen plasters herself all over social media, more than one person has said they like his zoo plans!

If Ashby is reelected, she will have 10 more years of service in the Senate before being term-limited, so a run for this office would not satisfy Singh-Allen's immediate ambitions. 

What options lie ahead for Singh-Allen to fulfill her political ambitions in the next two to four years? 

Part II Monday.