MacLeamy 'Leaning' Towards Lucan Senate Endorsement

Just a day after announcing his state senate bid, Novato Mayor Pro Tem Eric Lucan appears to close to securing the endorsement of a second city council colleague.

Councilwoman Jeanne MacLeamy in an interview with Patch on Tuesday sang the newly-minted candidate's praises but came short of an official endorsement.

"I'm leaning in that direction, but nothing's official at this point," MacLeamy said.

Lucan, a first-term councilman with less than two years of work at City Hall under his belt, has already garnered the endorsements of Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold and Novato Councilwoman Denise Athas.

Councilwoman Madeline Kellner said she'll consider a Lucan endorsement.

Mayor Pat Eklund did not immediately reply to a request for comments on Lucan's state senate candidacy.

MacLeamy confirmed that Lucan intends to serve as Novato's next mayor, a position that as the previous election cycle's leading vote-getter he's expected to be appointed to in December, per city protocol.   

"He has assured me that he will continue on with his upcoming role as mayor and give his full effort to Novato," she said.

MacLeamy said she's withholding an official endorsement until she and Lucan meet. No meeting has yet been scheduled but she said the two have agreed to "have a chat."

"I think it would be a little premature to endorse him but I think he's a fine young man and I know he'd give his all to whatever office he holds," MacLeamy said.

"As I told him, I think we really need good, clear thinkers in Sacramento and I know Eric to be fiscally conservative and I think that will in great measure help us with some of the issues we're facing in California."

So why not endorse?

"I think it would be good to sit down at talk to him because I do want to understand his positions on various things - not in the purview of the city, but in the purview of the state," she said.

MacLeamy said she isn't concerned about Lucan's ability to juggle a mayorship with what figures to be a brutal travel schedule running for office in a Senate District 2 that stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border.

"I do believe he can balance his mayoral duties and his candidacy," she said.

Kellner acknowledged that she'd heard rumblings about a possible Lucan state senate candidacy in recent weeks.

"More power to him," she said. "I admire his desire to serve in the legislature. That's a big job."

And while she isn't ready to endorse, Kellner gave Lucan high marks for his work on the council.

"My experience with him over the last two years has been very positive," she said. "He's very thoughtful. He does his homework."

Asked if she's open to an official endorsement, Kellner said she'd consider it, but that "it's a little early in the game."

Kellner said she didn't expect Lucan's candidacy to affect his mayoral status.   

"Not based on what I know now," she said.

"I haven't seen anything over the last couple of years where I felt he hasn't been where he needs to be when he needs to be there, so I think it's really up to him how he's going to balance all his various lives over the next year or so."