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Quick thoughts on the mayor’s race

Friday, January 27, 2012
posted by Matt Bowler

This week was game-changing in San Diego’s mayoral race. With today’s poll news and a strong fundraising showing by two of the major candidates it seems we may be headed for an all-Republican runoff. This is very good news. We can ensure a reform candidate is elected by knocking Filner out of the race now.

Obama won the City of San Diego handily. Democrat turnout could be high in November and so it is critical we all work hard to elect Republicans now. Any one of the three (Bonnie, Carl and Nathan) would be better than Bob Filner.

Ricasa: Don’t make me gut my children’s future!

Friday, January 27, 2012
posted by South Bay Sunnycrest

Wow. Just saw this article from the U-T where Sweetwater school board member Arlie Ricasa, through her attorney, is claiming that she’ll have to gut her own children’s college fund to pay for legal services stemming from her alleged indiscretions — 4 felonies, 2 misdemeanors — if the school board (ahem, taxpayers) won’t approve the legal payments.

This brings up a philosophical question for you, folks: should governments provide legal services to trustees mired in corruption scandals?

Reliable sources tell SD Rostra that labor forces got  more / less  than they expected in an early-January poll of 750 likely San Diego City June voters. The surprising results for Mayor, including “leaners,” are said to be:  Carl DeMaio 26%,  Nathan Fletcher 17%,  Bonnie Dumanis 16%, and Bob Filner 14%.  Some prior mayoral surveys, public and private, did not rigorously screen for high-propensity voters. With a June 2012 turnout of 35% to 40% projected by local number-crunchers, a focus on proven  high-propensity voters may be crucial.

Since Many Moons, your correspondent has not seen a political photo as entertaining and memorable as this one.  Feisty Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) greets President Obama at the Gateway  airport yesterday in Phoenix-Mesa.  Can you provide an amusing or insightful caption for their heart-to-heart?  Here’s mine ….   HIM:  “We just can’t see Eye to Eye.”  –  HER:  “Maybe we could if you were to Open yours!”

…WHAT  LED  UP  TO  THE  PICTURED  MOMENT

Mayoral Candidate Nathan Fletcher Raises More Than $735,000 for June Primary

Thursday, January 26, 2012
posted by Nathan Fletcher

SAN DIEGO- Nathan Fletcher’s mayoral campaign today announced that Fletcher’s committee raised more than $735,000 from its inception in June through December 31, 2011, for the June primary election.  The committee received contributions from nearly 2,500 donors, many of them first-time political donors. Between July 1 and the end of the year, the committee raised nearly $416,000 for the June primary election, and more than doubled the number of individual donors

UT: DeMaio, Fletcher show fundraising prowess

Thursday, January 26, 2012
posted by Thor's Assistant

 

From the U-T San Diego

“City Councilman Carl DeMaio and state Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, two of the high-profile candidates for San Diego mayor, reported impressive fundraising totals Thursday for the final six months of last year…”

See Craig Gustafson’s article on the numbers.

Fletcher’s press release.

DeMaio’s release is here.

VIDEO | What do San Diegans Really Think About the 2012 Mayoral Race?

Thursday, January 26, 2012
posted by Erica Holloway

VIDEO | KFMB\'s Larry Himmel Man-on-the-Streets (Password 4120)

It’s not too often that we get to hear from the average San Diegan about politics.

In our world, the high-propensity voting public tends to consume our daylight (and midnight oil) hours.

The Downtown San Diego Partnership (a client of mine) decided to send KFMB’s funny man, Larry Himmel, out on the streets to gets a pulse on the real scoop. It was shown last evening during the organization’s annual installation and board meeting (the highlight of which included a side-splitting funny “Jerry Unplugged: The Ultimate State of the City Address” from Mayor Jerry Sanders, which led to some great Twitter exchanges).

An Open Letter to Sherri Lightner

Wednesday, January 25, 2012
posted by Thor's Assistant

Rec’d from Ray Ellis…

Dear Councilmember Sherri Lightner,

Two weeks ago my campaign team reached out to your campaign to request a series of twelve debates in front of District 1 voters. They were told that you would only consider it a few months from now. As such, I am reaching out directly to you.

Solar power worshipers point to Germany as their role model. Germany has lead Europe and perhaps the world in the push for solar electricity. With massive government subsidies, the Germans have spent a fortune on massive solar installations that today they can proudly point to.

Only one problem. Winter. Turns out that solar doesn’t work well in winter — or with cloudy weather. And guess what — such conditions effect ALL the solar arrays at the same time. Thus they can’t get rid of the old power plants — they need them regardless of how much solar they build.

You won’t see it on the Secretary of State’s candidate website yet, but Assemblyman Marty Block (D) has competition for his party’s SD 39 nomination from Patrick Marsh of University City, who has filed initial papers.

OTHER NEW NAMES SURFACING are… (1)  Karen Otter (D) opposing Rostra‘s own Assemblyman Brian Jones (R)  in AD 71 … (2) Glenn Bernard (R) now the 4th candidate in AD 76 (joining Rocky Chavez, Sherry Hodges and Farrah Douglas) … and (3) Richard Eiden (D) and Jerome Tetalman (D) seeking to oppose Darrell Issa (R) in CD 49.

Padres broadcaster and combat veteran Marine Jerry Coleman today endorsed Nathan Fletcher for mayor. The campaign also released a web video he narrated detailing Fletcher’s military service.

“Nathan brings the same leadership qualities, poise and character he exhibited as a combat Marine to all his endeavors – and that’s exactly what it’s going to take to turn City Hall around and get our city back on track,” said Jerry Coleman. “It is time to turn the page on the problems of the past. I’m confident Nathan will bring everyone to the table to do exactly that.”

 

After months of holding Job Creation Summits, examining best practices from cities across the nation, and soliciting advice from local business leaders, City Councilmember Carl DeMaio today released an 86-page Pathway to Prosperity Job Creation Plan which spells out 112 ideas to streamline city regulations and launch a number of initiatives to create and keep jobs in San Diego.

“We need to get San Diegans back to work – and this plan will make San Diego the leader in innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation,” said DeMaio

Predictions For Tonight’s State of the Union Message

Tuesday, January 24, 2012
posted by Bob Siegel

We will hear that the State of the Union is good. We will all breathe a sigh of relief. We will then hear that good does not mean great. There is much work to be done and it could be done if the Republican Congress would be less political and more cooperative. The politics behind Obama rejecting the Canadian pipeline which would have created so many jobs will go conspicuously unmentioned.

Join the American Action Network and College Republicans!

Monday, January 23, 2012
posted by Matt Bowler

Tomorrow Barack Obama will deliver his State of the Union address. Will he put out a plan to create jobs? Or, will he continue to push the same kind of job-killing overregulation and taxation he’s been a fan of so far? Let’s find out!

Tomorrow the American Action Network and College Republicans will host a State of the Union watching party at Bull’s Smokin’ BBQ, 1127 West Morena Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92110. Join us just before the speech and through it.

 

As part of his January 7 Weekend Politics & Media Mashup, Rostra blogger Tony Manolatos wrote:

I leave you with this prediction: look for the U-T to carpet bomb the expansion plans for the San Diego Convention Center in favor of a plan that would funnel some of those tax dollars to a new Downtown stadium for the San Diego Chargers. The paper foreshadowed such a move in its New Year’s Day editorial, and its new owners have said from Day 1 that they would cheer for a new stadium.

Yeah, it’s true — I DO fiendishly enjoy beating a dead iron horse — in this case, our California HSR choo-choo.  But bear with me.  New stuff!  Three solid articles, as a matter of fact.

At this point, it’s hard to imagine we will continue with this HSR madness, but never underestimate the bull-headed stupidity of Democrat politicians — both state and national. Fortunately there now is a new stake (a silver spike?) that’s been driven through the putrid heart that sustains this beast.

A Personal Note

Sunday, January 22, 2012
posted by Nathan Fletcher

Each week, I watch on the ABC News Show “This Week” with great pain and sadness the name, age, and hometown of our service members killed in action that week. This week the list included my cousin and close friend Ben Wise. He was an Army soldier–Special Forces–who was killed in action in Afghanistan. He has a two year old son who will never know his father. Two years ago, it was Ben’s brother Jeremy–a Navy SEAL. This is a tragic reminder that every name is more than a name. It is a husband or wife, brother, son, friend. We can never forget the sacrifice of not only our service members but the surviving family members whose lives are forever changed.

Ricky Young, U-T's Watchdog Editor

Politics & Media Mashup: your weekend news aggregator leads off with a Q & A with Ricky Young, the editor of U-T San Diego’s Watchdog Team. Also included: Gobs of links to some of the week’s best stories about local, state and national politics as well as social and traditional media.

“Journalism that upholds the public trust, regularly.”  That’s how the U-T San Diego defines its Watchdog Team. Rostra’s Richard Rider, a constant critic of politicians and the reporters who cover them, had this to say recently about the team: “Reporters are now practicing REAL journalism with their generally excellent ‘Watchdog’ work.”

In a partial rebuke to the City of San Diego that will likely have broader implications, a federal court today declared unconstitutional a city-hoped for $1,000 limit on the amount political parties can donate to local candidates, while further striking down the existing prohibition on candidates spending personal money 12 months in advance of an election.

In a summary judgement on nine separate cross-motions in the case of Thalheimer vs. City of San Diego, Chief Judge Irma Gonzalez of the U.S. District Court’s Southern California division ruled in favor of some of the plaintiff’s motions, while denying others, as follows:

Did Jerry Rindone Lie to the Republican Party?

Friday, January 20, 2012
posted by Right Vu

Is it just my interpretation or did County Board of Education Member Jerry Rindone give the proverbial finger to Tony Krvaric and the Central Committee at the endorsement proceedings a couple of weeks back?

First off, let me say how disappointed several Central Committee members were when the vote was taken via voice vote in a room full of both members and non-members. This is not historically how the Party has taken endorsement votes, in the past doing so by ballot.

Dumanis: Education is Key to Reducing Truancy and Crime, Improving Quality of Life

Thursday, January 19, 2012
posted by D.A. Bonnie Dumanis

SAN DIEGO – Citing the importance of education in combating truancy and crime, District Attorney and candidate for mayor Bonnie Dumanis announced today her support for the San Diego County Office of Education’s plans to reduce truancy by asking parents and community members to be alert to truant youth in their neighborhoods. As part of the plan, county officials are requesting that adults who see children out in the community during regular school hours notify authorities.

EGCA Weighs In On Mayoral Race

Wednesday, January 18, 2012
posted by Carl DeMaio

I’m honored to have the support of the Engineering and General Contractors Association for my mayoral campaign and “Save Our Streets Plan.”

During the Internet Blacklist Protest, SD Rostra is ONLINE!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012
posted by Thor's Assistant

As a means of protesting pending Internet blacklist legislation known as SOPA and PIPA*, instead of going OFFLINE, we are staying ONLINE.

After all, what better way to promote free speech, then to continue to engage in free speech?  Why censor ourselves?

*The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) by the U.S. Senate.  Concerns have been raised that these acts would severely cripple the free and open Internet.  You would be able to read about these bills on Wikipedia, but that site has gone dark in protest, temporarily.

In an amazing accomplishment for a non-incumbent candidate, Escondido Councilwoman Marie Waldron (75th AD) will report $155,000 raised, and $128,000 cash-on-hand through December 31, 2011.  How good is that?  Let’s  Compare … two years ago at this time, Assembly incumbent Marty Block (D)  had $49,532 cash-on-hand,  Kevin Jeffries (R) had $68,536, and Sen. Chris Kehoe (D), $26,009.  A Big Tip of the Hat to Waldron and a campaign team led by Revolvis, for hard work well done.  Waldron is seeking AD 75, from which Kevin Jeffries is term-limited.

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