Bashing serves Andrew Janz well. Just wish Fresno mayoral hopeful would do more inspiring
The image couldn’t have been more amusing — the mayor of Fresno skateboarding around town while being pulled by “trained service hounds” — but Andrew Janz never cracked a smile.
Watching the recent #Fresno4All mayoral candidate forum at home on my iPad, I burst out laughing when long-shot candidate Brian Jefferson gave that response to a question about whether he’d take the bus if elected.
Not Janz. Seated next to Jefferson on the stage, he sat there expressionless. As if the Fresno County deputy DA was inside a courtroom waiting for the jury foreman to read the verdict in an attempted murder trial.
Over the past couple weeks I’ve tried to get a better sense of who Janz is and what he’s about. I attended a fundraiser in Sierra Sky Park (by invitation of the homeowner), watched him intently at two public forums, read and listened to multiple stories and interviews.
And yet it’s unclear how much I’ve learned. Aside from the fact that the man has a serious game face when confronted by the absurd.
That isn’t meant to imply Janz is evasive on the issues or elusive in character. Hard no on both counts. It’s just difficult to separate Janz the politician — this is his second high-profile race, don’t forget — from Janz the person.
Taking smart positions
As mayor, Janz pledges to end cronyism and political favoritism at City Hall. Rather than give in to growth, as generations of Fresno’s elected leaders have done, Janz would focus on improving existing neighborhoods — a nod to his “no developer money” ethos.
“It’s not going to be business as usual in my administration,” he assures.
Janz supports the DRIVE initiative, a potentially transformative 10-year investment plan sponsored by the Central Valley Community Foundation. He backs a new sales tax that would increase funding for parks and public safety. He would hire an “ethical” police chief who favors community policing over military-style tactics and is willing to try alternative methods such as Advanced Peace.
These are smart positions for any insurgent, a description that fits Janz despite his job and mainstream Democratic support in what is a nonpartisan race in name but highly partisan in reality.
“I think I am one of the most unique candidates that has ever run for mayor,” says Janz, referencing his age (36), upbringing (modest) and first language (Thai).
Janz’s critics would also say he is too inexperienced to serve as Fresno’s chief executive, though most of those people voted for the even less experienced Alan Autry in 2000 with no reservations. So that argument holds no water.
Getting in his digs
During the campaign’s early stages, Janz quite often sounded like he was still running for Devin Nunes’ congressional seat rather than mayor of California’s fifth-largest city.
That has changed recently as Janz’s sights shifted to Jerry Dyer, the perceived mayoral front-runner due mainly to his longstanding community presence.
Whereas Dyer was seemingly everywhere last fall, lately he has kept a much lower profile, choosing to skip two recent candidate forums. Both times, Janz seized upon the opportunity to get in some digs.
Before the start of the Fresno Youth Platform forum at Fresno City College, Janz sat down at a table behind a paper placard with the name “Richard Renteria” printed on it. Upon realizing his mistake, Janz switched placards and said, “As long as it isn’t Jerry Dyer.”
Janz rarely lets an opportunity pass without dinging Dyer for holding political positions that are in line with President Trump’s. He frequently brings up Dyer’s association with developers and insiders “that have controlled Fresno’s politics for so long.” He cites “low morale” among Fresno Police Department officers and the millions of dollars the city has forked over in police-related lawsuits during Dyer’s tenure.
I’ve even heard Janz, during the private fundraiser attended by State Controller Betty Yee and several local politicians, make an off-color joke about Dyer’s alleged mid-1980s affair with a 16-year-old girl.
Dyer, by contrast, hasn’t brought up Janz much in public, if ever. Of course there’s a reason for that. Rather than skeletons, Janz’s closet is filled with empty hangers. He doesn’t have a track record that can be easily pounded.
More time inspiring
Janz’s verbal jabs and bulldog style no doubt serve him well in a courtroom, and his firm positions on issues appeal to Fresno’s growing number of progressive voters who would rather move to Clovis than see Dyer get elected.
Still, though, there are times when you wish Janz would spend less time attacking and more time inspiring. He should be able to describe his vision for Fresno, with him as mayor, without bad-mouthing his opponent.
Or perhaps that’s too much to expect from any Democrat politician in the Age of Trump. I’m not sure.
What’s certain is Janz has waged a formidable campaign, one that has Fresno’s right-leaning establishment shaking in their loafers he might pull the upset. Or at least qualify for a run-off with Dyer in November, when voter turnout will likely be significantly higher than March 3.
Maybe that would be enough to cause Janz’s lips to curl upward ever so slightly.
This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
