Jean Quan has had a pretty tough time as Oakland Mayor. We

Jean Quan has had a pretty tough time as Oakland Mayor. We had high hopes for her political career after our interview with her.

Oakland voters elected Councilwoman Libby Schaaf as the city’s new mayor, ousting Mayor Jean Quan after a turbulent tenure marked by constant turnover among city officials and criticism of her handling of Occupy Oakland protests.

Quan and Schaaf appeared together in a joint news conference at City Hall on Thursday, a day after Quan conceded.

The four-year incumbent finished third in a 15-candidate field, according to preliminary results from Oakland’s unique instant-runoff election where voters rank their top three choices.

Quan entered her re-election campaign with a tarnished image. Her first major test as mayor with escalating Occupy Oakland protests in 2011 drew fire from progressives who thought she was too heavy-handed and business groups that thought she acted too slowly.

Quan also had to backtrack when she made claims that crime in the city was concentrated in a 100-block area and that a Dubai prince was investing in a new Raiders stadium development project.

The former progressive activist has said much of the criticism was unfair and ignored strides the city made under her tenure.

Sources AP