Cynthia Cravens
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Cynthia Cravens (Democratic Party) ran for election to the California State Senate to represent District 11. Cravens lost in the primary on March 5, 2024.
Cravens completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Cynthia Cravens earned a bachelor's degree from UCLA in 1982 and a graduate degree from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in 1989. Cravens' career experience includes working as a volunteer and electrical power systems designer. As of 2024, Cravens was affiliated with Trinity + St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Freer Speech, and Friends of Calligraphy.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: California State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for California State Senate District 11
Incumbent Scott Wiener defeated Yvette Corkrean in the general election for California State Senate District 11 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Scott Wiener (D) | 77.0 | 184,670 |
 | Yvette Corkrean (R)  | 23.0 | 55,204 | |
| Total votes: 239,874 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for California State Senate District 11
Incumbent Scott Wiener and Yvette Corkrean defeated Cynthia Cravens and Jingchao Xiong in the primary for California State Senate District 11 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Scott Wiener (D) | 73.0 | 166,610 |
| ✔ | | Yvette Corkrean (R) | 15.1 | 34,447 |
| Cynthia Cravens (D) | 8.1 | 18,519 | |
| Jingchao Xiong (No party preference) | 3.8 | 8,717 | |
| Total votes: 228,293 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Endorsements
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Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Cravens in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Cynthia Cravens completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cravens' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I'm a lifelong CLASSIC liberal...a long time SF Democrat who believes passionately in the future of my city, San Francisco.
After acquiring degrees in Engineering from UCLA and International Policy Studies from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and working in power systems design and then in negotiation/interpretation for an international joint venture, I moved to the Bay Area in 1990. In San Francisco, I worked at Jewish Vocational Services for many years helping refugee engineer-scientists find jobs. My latest position was with Hospitality House, a non-profit that helps homeless people find shelter, work, and access to career and artistic opportunities.
In addition to my very eclectic, but rewarding professional life, for 18+ years I shared a home with my wonderful life partner, Arthur Taber, who, unfortunately, passed away a few years ago.
I'm now retired, but volunteer regularly with my very progressive Episcopal Church and Refuse Refuse, as well as with "Freer Speech", a new group in SF dedicated to fighting cancel culture abd promoting freedom of expression. And, I hope to use my professional skills and expertise while serving as State Senator for the benefit of my beloved hometown of San Francisco, District 11, and all of California.
- Change CAN happen...Let's reinvent ourselves...again. IF San Franciscans...Bay Area residents...Californians ....vote in a new generation of politicians that turns away from permissive policies & revolutionary identitarian ideologies... embraces individual liberties accompanied by individual accountability and the rule of law...classic liberal values....change...good change will happen.
- Compassion untethered from reality is not kind: existing drug harm reduction policies are not working. Permissive policies and politicians MUST go. Allowing two people to die every day on the streets of San Francisco from fetynal overdoses is...an abomination. San Franciscans, Bay Area residents, Californians can no longer turn away. We CAN and WILL do better than this.
- Individual rights...freedom of speech, assembly, and expression are the fundamental bedrock of American society. AND, they must be upheld AND accompanied by individual accountability.
●Reducing homelessness through funding more beds in comprehensive / long term (>1 yr) Drug Treatment First Programs.
● Centering law enforcement...
especially neighborhood beat cops... in the reduction of crime and promotion of public safety.
●Reducing the influence and spread of state DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity) programs ...programs that promote understanding of our society through the divisive lens of oppressor vs. oppressed in-groups, and a hierarchy of victimhood.
●Writing, supporting policies and bills that promote effective legislation through built - in accountability measures.
There's a member of my church community whom I admire very much. He volunteers tirelessly for our community, but does so in a very unassuming manner. He never expects accolades or praise, and if he sees a problem that needs addressing, he simply fixes it himself or identifies individuals and resources needed, and resolves the problem indirectly through them.
True Believer" by Eric Hoffer is a great book on the nature of mass movements...a book that explains how dissatisfaction with and deprecation of the present, and an accompanying promise of a brighter future can turn into (or be turned into) mass movements that upend societies.
Societies in the grip of extreme ideologies that reject incremental change and material reality...that seek to tear down the existing foundations of civilization...are at great risk of faltering and becoming failed states. Currently, unfortunately, identitarian ideologies that have captured the imagination of many of our young people, ideologies that seek to judge people based on past in-group histories, verses individual character and individual actions in the present (as per values of the U.S. Constutution), fall under this category. These ideologies pose a great threat to the future thriving of the city of San Francisco, the state of California, and even our country.
Determination, integrity, accountability, toughness, intelligence, creativity, collaboration, high emotional IQ, skills of persuasion, and genuine care for the constituents and district you represent.
I'm persistent, and often focus on accountability in professional settings. These attributes would be very helpful in the legislature as I would be constantly asking the following questions of proposed legislation: What are the expected, measurable outcomes? What entity will be charged with monitoring and reporting on expected outcomes? And, how will it relay that information to the general public that is easily accessible and clear?
The core responsibilities of someone elected to California State Senate District 11 are:
1) To understand the major concerns of District 11 and its constituents.
2) To understand the major concerns of the state of California and its residents.
3) To understand the balance and interplay between these two sometimes overlapping, sometimes conflicting set of interests and make the best possible decisions based on that understanding.
4) To serve on appropriate committees that research and advise on select issues.
5) To reach out to other California senators and form coalitions to write, sponsor, and pass bills.
6) To provide live opportunities for constituents of District 11 to meet, share their concerns, and be apprised of new legislation and trends in the legislature.
7) To represent District 11 by attending important civic and ceremonial functions (community forums, funerals of officials, etc).
I would like very much like to be part of the solution to the downward spiral of our once great cities...to first stopping the abomination that is the epidemic of deaths of drug users on our streets...and to help bring back people most at risk of fentynal poisonings to a new sober vision for their lives. I would also like to help re-prioritize other constituencies in areas hard hit with drug abuse and homelessness...children, working class families, tax payers, and people with disabilities who are so negatively impacted by open-air drug markets, public drug use, and deaths from fentynal poisonings.Theres
I served as a switchboard operator at my high school over the summer, answering incoming calls.
"Lord of the Rings" by JRR Tolkien. I truly appreciate the emphasis on how the actions, values, common sense, and kindnesses of everyday people...the "little folk" with little power...are what, in the end, can hold off the worst effects of war and totalitarian ideologies. I also like this author's focus on hope, and his understanding that, no matter what, there is always hope, no matter how dire the circumstances. And, that even the very wise don't know all ends or every outcome. Therefore, humility in discerning outcomes in human affairs, no matter how intelligent or how well educated someone is, is such an important trait
"Shallow" from a "Star is Born" with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.
I'm someone with a visible physical anamoly...the radius bone is missing in both my arms. Therefore, in my girlhood, I had trouble accepting my physical body as is. Fortunately, Title IX legislation ensured that girls would have parity in terms of sports at school. And, so I participated in a community girls softball team, and in volleyball and soccer classes at school. Playing with, competing against other girls in sports helped me to test the limits and strengths of my limbs, and I grew to have a much healthier acceptance of my body. Also, that such an experience was provided in a girls-only environment, an environment free from the awakening sexual interest of teenage boys, was also extremely important to my sense of self/ self esteem. That is but one reason why I am so certain of the need to maintain female single sex spaces and sports. They are absolutely needed for the public flourishing of girls...especially girls with body image/ body alienation concerns.
The ideal relationship is one in which governors and legislators share common goals and can work together to accomplish this. This, of course, is more complicated when the governor is of one party, but the legislature is controlled by a super majority of another party...particularly one of very different values.
●The deterioration and disempowerment of the working class.
Politicians of all parties must renew their commitment to improving the well-being of the working class...because without a strong working class that believes in the system, believes in paying taxes to support that system, believes that leaders are focused on improving their lives, societies falter.
●The rise of identitarian ideology
Coming to terms with the fact that many members of our up and coming managerial and administrative class are "True Believers" in the new secular ideology of identitarianism...believing that the current status quo is irredeemable and must go, believing in a hierarchy of oppressor vs. oppressed in-groups versus individual rights AND individual accountability as understood in the U.S. Constitution.
●Affordable housing
Only 15% of Californians can afford to buy a median priced home costing $843,600 as of the 3rd qtr of 2023. And, the average monthly rent in California for a two-bedroom apartment was $2,197 U.S. dollars in 2023...which makes rent in California for a 2-bedroom apartment higher than that of any other state in the U.S.
●Political leaders must focus relentlessly on decreasing both home ownership costs and rent costs in the coming years, while ensuring that seniors are not priced out of their homes or apartments.
●Public Safety
Over the past 5-10 years, legislators and judges have prioritized the interests of criminal suspects and repeat offenders over the concerns of law-abiding, tax-paying individuals and working class families in California. This focus, along with ill-considered initiatives to "defund the police," has emboldened certain members of society to engage in rampant retail theft, car break-ins, and even physical assault and murder...with little concern for consequences. This must change.
Yes...certainly. However, the current state of my city, San Francisco, and California as a whole...one in which homelessness and lawlessness seem rampant, have shown me that previous experience in government, while very valuable, is not enough. Legislators must, first and foremost, have common sense, courage, and passion for the well-being of the districts and constituents they represent.
Absolutely. It's extremely important to build relationships with legislators from your own party...to build coalitions and to ensure co-sponsors and support of your bills.
And, I would even go farther than that. I would say that those legislators who are able to draw in co-sponsors from the opposition party may even be more effective.
Rep. Barbara Lee, an Oakland Democrat, was the only member of congress to vote against the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force...which ultimately resulted in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and 2003 invasion of Iraq. I would like to believe...to hope...that I would have the same resolute spirit in the face of overwhelming opposition concerning an issue of such importance to the well-being of my district and my constituents.
No, I intend to devote myself fully to the well-being and thriving of District 11 for the foreseeable future.
Recently, I befriended an immigrant from Nigeria, Richard Anumene, a young man whose family moved to the United States when he was a child and incurred many hardships. The young man himself experienced serious mental health concerns...depression, anxiety, even schizophrenia...in part due to toxic family dynamics, in part due to the stress of adapting to a new culture. Richard's mental health challenges lead him to a "gender affirming care" therapist and activist members of the transgender community who convinced him that he was "born in the wrong body," and that self-identifying as a woman would mitigate his health concerns. Eventually, this vulnerable young man went on to take cross-sex hormones, and underwent facial feminization surgery, as well as full SRS (sexual reassignment surgery).
But, soon after the latter surgery, Richard Anumene realized he had made a profound mistake. First, he realized that this operation had sterilized him, and that he would never be able to naturally father children. Second, he came to understand that his SRS surgery had actually been botched, and that he would regularly experience dangerous UTI's (urinary tract infections) for the rest of his life. And, third, and most importantly, he realized that he never truly was a woman...just a very confused and vulnerable young man who had been lead astray.
Richard still struggles with great depression today, but sometimes finds meaning...a sense of purpose... in sharing his story with others: he now wants his story shared as widely as possible in the hope that other young people won't have to repeat his experiences.
Yes, but only in extreme situations...natural disasters, epidemics, or pervasive civil unrest that upend the regular functioning of the business of the state and its residents.
There is an tidal wave of deaths caused by drug overdoses...
essentially fentynal poisonings...across the state of California, and more particularly in the city of San Francisco. This is an abomination, and must be addressed immediately.
I would introduce a bill to fund beds in long term (>1 year) comprehensive drug treatment programs that reject the harm reduction approach, and instead provide sober living spaces and services that require frequent drug testing.
As beds in such programs would be very expensive, I would first focus on drug users who have already experienced at least 1 drug overdose (in other words, those most at risk from dying from another overdose). I would also require that such at-risk drug users be enrolled in such drug treatment programs before receiving any other public assistance. And, in the same legislation, I would require that dealers who sell illegal drugs that result in overdoses and death be subject to arrest and felony charges.
Finally, accountability would be an intrinsic feature of this legislation. It would state clearly its goals (expected vs. actual # of participants enrolled in such programs, expected vs. actual # of participants who would "graduate" from such programs, expected vs. actual # of participants who had gone on to find employment and stable housing after graduating, and most importantly, and expected vs. actual # of deaths from overdoses that had occurred in California since the start of the program). Additionally, the entity charged with ensuring the accountability of this program would be identified, and charged with maintaining a public webpage that tracked the goals of the program over time.
Standing Committees:
Appropriations
Education
Housing
Insurance
Select Committees:
Career Technology & the New Economy
Mental Health & Addiction
Joint Committees:
Fisheries & Aquaculture (I worked in the fishing industry up in Alaska for a while).
Government transparency and accountability are more important than ever ...especially in this era when so many Americans no longer trust politicians...not even those of their own party.
Transparency, required for trust, encourages open communication and effective collaboration. And it's extremely important to be open about challenges, failures, and how failure can actually provide valuable information about how to move forward in the future.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 14, 2024
