So What Will the Candidates for Mayor Raise?

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The first campaign disclosure cut off for raising money in the City of San Diego Mayor’s race is this Thursday. I could give my predictions here about what I think the candidates will raise, but then I’d have to read the whole chain of campaign partisans chanting about my bias. So, I’ll just leave it up to the readers to …

Mayoral Candidate Fletcher on the Pension Initiative

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From this morning’s Union Tribune in regard to the ballot measure to fix city pensions: Fletcher said he won’t decide whether to support the ballot measure until a fiscal and legal analysis have been done. He also said he has concerns about stripping pensions away from newly hired firefighters, as the measure would do. “It is clear we have to …

Jon Cross in at San Diego New Majority

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Confirmed last night: Jon Cross is the new Executive Director over at the San Diego New Majority. Cross is a former aide to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and United States Senate candidate Carly Fiorina, among other positions. He replaces Doug Sain. I think this is a positive direction for the organization. I’ve never met Cross but those who have say he’s …

Is Fletcher In or Out?

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Is Nathan Fletcher in or out for Mayor? This is the question it seems everyone is asking downtown, and the view is growing (downtown) that Fletcher may not take the risk. But over and over again, Fletcher insists that in fact he is running. He’s told numerous people that he will declare for the Mayor’s race in March. According to …

San Diego Mayor’s Race Part 3

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Normally I feel somewhat obligated to fact check posts by “mouth of the local gop” Mr. Murphy. So I did some calling around about the San Diego Mayor’s race. Turns out Murphy is correct: it sounds like Dumanis and Filner are in the race. To Filner first: if he runs, and he is the only Democrat, he is pretty much …

Voepel Leaves GOP… Union Tribune Unclear on New Party Affiliation

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Reading the Union Tribune I noted an article that said Santee Mayor Randy Voepel announced a couple days ago that he was leaving the GOP because the Republican Party wasn’t conservative enough. I thought this was a little odd, timing wise. After all, the national party basically picked up what 63 seats this time RETURNING to the conservative fiscal values …

San Diego Mayor’s Race Part 2

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It looks like the establishment candidate for Mayor will be Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher. Gossip downtown says that Fletcher has secured the support of Mayor Jerry Sanders, and that he is talking to the Mayor’s political consultant, Tom Shepard. It’s also circulating that Fletcher and DA Bonnie Dumanis have an understanding that if he runs (which looks certain) she will not, …

Victories Done. Back to Fighting Each Other.

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I don’t think anyone could argue with a straight face that the Republican Party hasn’t made itself a major player in San Diego over the past maybe six years. The change started under current CRP Chairman Ron Nehring, and continued under current San Diego GOP Chairman Tony Krvaric. In my mind, the local GOP and the Lincoln Club and a …

San Diego City Mayor’s Race Part 1

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Anyone who watches as much tv as I do was bound to see ads this election season for Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher. There were a good number of them, and on broadcast. Fletcher is in a safe Republican seat so I couldn’t figure out what he was doing. Then it hit me a few days ago: Fletcher can’t use the money …

Winners and Losers… My Take

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WINNER **LORI ZAPF**. Well I know it’s obvious she won the election, and of course that makes her a winner, but it’s more than that. Talk to the wags downtown – particularly the corporate or public relations class – and she was a sure loser (same folks coincidentally that thought Measure D was a great idea). Zapf’s win wasn’t just …

4 Million More

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So 4 million more Republicans than Democrats voted in primary elections nationally. This is the first time this has happened since the Great Depression, says the news. Tells me a little about who has the energy in this election. Also makes me think Zapf’s chances are pretty good in the 6th San Diego Council seat – an area that seems …

Delicious Stagecraft By Donna Frye… and the Mayor

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It’s not just that Donna Frye voted against putting the sales tax on the ballot, its how she did it. She warned the majority of Democrats days ago that she wouldn’t vote to put a tax increase on the a ballot without cuts at the same time. Yet again, labor and her fellow Democrats rolled their eyes and ignored her. …

Overheard Downtown This Afternoon

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At lunch this afternoon my guest and I happened to sit next to what I presume to be a couple of Democrat legislative staff. The conversation: how hard State Senate President Darrell Steinberg had fought to make sure Vargas lost to Salas in the 40th State Senate District, and what the ramifications would be when Vargas is sworn in. IF …

Marti Emerald: Biting Her Own Tongue

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Before today I heard very little about a serious decision to recall Marti Emerald. Today, I’ve had the conversation a dozen times. There is a movement afoot. I don’t know if this movement will succeed or fail, but it is afoot. What I think is that Marti is rather foolish for bringing it up the way she did — it …

So What Happened in Assembly Seat 77?

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Before the votes started being counted last night I don’t think that there would have been many readers watching the 77th Assembly seat race that would have thought that Bill Wells would lose. So what happened? My first thought is that maybe Wells didn’t get enough mail out to overcome Brian Jones’ carry over name identification from the Congressional run, and …

Former Republican Gronke Wants Your Property

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Former Republican Steve Gronke, now a candidate for County Supervisor in the 5th District, has changed a lot more than his party registration lately.  The Vista City Councilman sees redevelopment dollars as an open checkbook for municipal real estate speculation , and anyone who won’t sell to him faces the threat of government-enforced eminent domain.  Despite Vista’s budget woes, Gronke is leading the charge …

Another View of the Republican Central Committee Happenings

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Mr. Murphy, the ever present, gloating or apologist voice of the individuals who run the Republican Central Committee, you never fail to disappoint me! My view on the events of the FACTS of what happened this week: The defeat of the vocal minority, whether they were right or wrong, within the GOP was a long time in building. Rational people …

Fair or Unfair Use of Anonymous Speech

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The internet has added another layer to politics. Anonymous political commentary, long an American tradition, has had a rebirth. I would argue that anonymity has an important place in political discussion, but that we as a community need to decide exactly what that place is. My opinion is that anonymity is appropriate if the topic of the commentary is controversial …