There are plenty of polls: straw polls, tracking polls, horse race polls, push polls, exit polls. Not to be left out, San Diego Rostra debuts its exclusive Meatball Poll.
This decidedly unscientific poll is conducted among attendees at the National Albondigas Political Society, San Diego Edition. This swell group of political swells gathers for meatball soup (hence the name) and poliwonk talk with absolutely no agenda. The group generally includes elected officials, staff, consultants, activists, agitators, commentators, fellow travelers, Barry Jantz and the Libertarian Lass.
The poll consists of a single question designed to take the political pulse on the hottest question of the day, to see who’s paying attention and who is no longer sober.
Today’s question: Who will be San Diego’s next mayor?
Results:
- Carl DeMaio: 33 percent
- Nathan Fletcher: 27.5 percent
- Bob Filner: 16.5 percent
- Bonnie Dumanis: 11 percent
- Clint Carney: 6% (a blatant attempt to suck up to the organizer)
- Pete Wilson: 6% (“Tanned, Rested and Ready” proclaimed one respondent)
Of note are those who didn’t receive any votes. Apparently the tribe has spoken, and Kevin Faulconer has been voted off the island. No votes either for Donna Frye, Steve Francis, or the dude who rides the custom three-wheel motorcycle that looks like the Starship Enterprise.
Disclaimer: This is a thoroughly unscientific poll, something the likes of which John Nienstedt of Competitive Edge Research & Communication would utterly dismiss, brought to you strictly for “entertainment purposes.” Kind of the same thing as those late night psychics, horoscopes, and “The Hills.”
But it won’t be stopping us from bringing you a new one monthly. Your suggested questions for upcoming Rostra/Meatball Polls are invited. Next poll: March 11.
Comments 14
The three wheeler guy is Loch David Crane from Ocean Beach (where else!).
Author
Yes, of course it is, D7 Voter. Poetic license as I didn’t want to give “that dude” undue publicity. My father (also a native Obecean) was a well known motorcycle mechanic and he did the wheels for that rig. Thoughts on the poll?
My thoughts on the poll: I like albondigas and I loved hanging out with Jack Orr.
Although the name Pete Wilson – my first choice – popped up on the list, I doubt we could talk him into another run. And since I, too, lived in OB at one time, and we’ve tried the serious types for so long and yet the city the keeps digging itself into a deeper hole (at least some would say) maybe we should take another look at “that dude.”
Seriously, I am a bit disappointed that Steve Francis fared so poorly in the poll, however I don’t think he has anyone to blame but himself. I know Steve well and he indicated to me a couple months ago that he is seriously contemplating another run. His challenge is he’s got two previous campaigns with positions on many issues which are contrary to each other, He’d have to defend the flip-flopping, He’s also ticked off a number of politicos around town. And if he self-funds, he now also has to fight the $150 million Meg Whitman losing campaign syndrome. That all being said, Steve would be good for the city and I would support him in a heartbeat if he were on the ballot. If he runs let’s just hope he gets some better advisors and consultants who know the city and its issues, and are not just yes-men and check collectors.
I will leave the technical analysis of the poll to John Nienstedt, however in closing I would say that the poll was taken at a very early stage and I expect there will be a lot of changes to these names and numbers as we move closer to the race. Ultimately it will come down to money and who is willing to work hardest. Regarding the former, a guy like De Maio may turn off the entrenched monied interests (if he hasn’t already) but regarding the latter, is there a name on your list that is willing to work harder than Carl?
I saw former Governor Wilson recently. He does look good. He may be ready to run again!
Jerry Brown made a comeback. Why not Pete Wilson? Pete would need to establish residency in San Diego, otherwise he’s good to go.
One thing working against Carl DeMaio and Kevin Faulconer is mayoral history in San Diego. Trivia time: name the last sitting City Councilmember to run for mayor and win.
Councilman Francis E. (Frank) Curran, in 1963.
It’s worth noting he went on to be a GREAT
Mayor of San Diego, unequalled since that
time.
I remember the name but that is about it. I started partying in 1963 and didn’t stop until 1982. Whole lot of fog between my ears in those years.
But you just reached back 48 years in the blink of an eye. I am impressed.
Larry…. sometimes it is good to be a lifetime square…lol
Frank Curran presided over the building of San Diego
Stadium, and insisted it be on the ballot, and further
that it would need a 2/3 majority (!) and be financed by
revenue bonds! Then he went out and campaigned
for it everywhere, saying it was a sound investment
in San Diego’s future.
That was 1965 and it passed with 71% of the vote.
The public was involved in tha decision every step
of the way.
San Diego Stadium opened in 1967….and 44 years later
it is still the home of the SD Aztecs and Chargers. Frank
Curran has been proven abundantly right … it was and is
a very sound investment.
[The crybaby City bureaucrats who whine evey year that the
building is old and hard to maintain, should grow up and
thank Frank Curran daily that they have great jobs in a
wonderful City. If they only knew how they sound].
Frank Curran was a smart man who never treated voters
with anything but respect. He thought of himself as a
regular guy, no smarter than other San Diegans, and this
quality made him the success he was. Humility is an
enormous strength…but that fact is rarely appreciated.
Pete Wilson? Thought everyone had Beiber fever. Love seeing a straw poll on the mayor’s race with two years on the clock; proves it’s an exciting field of potential. Poll away, poliwonks!
Holloway for Mayor…the Straight Talk Express
comes to San Diego.
I miss the excitement, so why not let Mike Aguirre take a crack at it? Maybe he can hire Teresa from the Housewives of New Jersey who flips tables as his spokesperson and Snookie as his Chief of Staff. Just imagine all the publicity San Diego could get.
Hahahahaha
Curran gets my respect for the vote on the stadium — and a 2/3 vote at that! How unlikely our current project boosters (ANY city construction project) would support any such vote — let alone the 2/3 majority (you can find that 2/3 vote requirement buried and ignored in the city charter somewhere).
BTW: Original Jack Murphy stadium cost? $27.75 million. Hell, I might have voted for that one! Not being a resident at the time (off winning the war in Vietnam –or maybe still a student at UNC — fuzzy period in my life), we’ll never know my final decision on the matter.
Of course, things were cheaper then. Cost of living, yada, yada, yada.
But now we are talking about building a new NFL stadium — mostly at taxpayer expense — for somewhere between 800 million and one BILLION dollars.
I mean, COME ON, MAN!
Mike Aguirre, warts and all, would have been a better mayor than either Susan Golding or Dick Murphy. Indeed, I’d be hard pressed to think of someone who would have been worse. Filner, perhaps?
Richard,
My parents bought their first home in 1963 for $17,000. That same home would sell for for around $850,000 today (a 50-fold increase). Using those numbers, $800 million or even $1 billion for a new stadium looks like a bargain.