Buell

“I think she handled some serious problems very well, and I think there were new problems, problems we had never experienced before,” Buell said.

Buell applauded Breed’s decisiveness during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she was one of the first big-city mayors to declare a state of emergency — a decision credited with saving thousands of lives.

“Nobody knew what to do, and everyone was scared and trying to do the right thing, and be bold and careful at the same time,” Buell said.

Susie Tompkins Buell, a prominent Democratic donor and staunch supporter of Breed’s, said the mayor deserves credit for effectively leading San Francisco through an unusually difficult period.

“He’s been a topic for quite a while now,” said Susie Tompkins Buell, a longtime Democratic donor who backed Breed.