On Monday night, mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher held an unusual teletown hall according to a couple of people who contacted me. One would think it was a campaign forum with Fletcher talking about himself and why he thinks he should be mayor.
One problem: The people who told me about the forum live outside the City of San Diego; specifically in Poway. So what is the mayoral candidate doing talking to people who can’t vote in the upcoming election?
I can only think of two reasons for this. Is Fletcher thinking about Plan B if he doesn’t win the race? Retaining significant name ID and support if/when he loses helps with future elections. It’s no secret that Fletcher views the mayor’s office as a stepping stone for future higher office. He wants to be a career politician and part of that means thinking next steps. Maintaining a solid base with voters in neighboring areas would help him in a run for the Board of Equalization or other State job.
This “thinking ahead” to the next race might also help explain the Move to the Middle campaign his supporters have started. As it currently stands, Move to the Middle is a strange amalgamation of a grassroots movement that was founded and led by rich business folks. The Movement served to dominate the media cycle for one day to support Fletcher. We haven’t seen them take any stands on issues or even support other “like minded” candidates. If it serves any purpose beyond June 5, it could provide a vehicle to help seek a BOE seat in the future.
The other reason Fletcher would do this is to try and inoculate himself against hits he’s been taking for missing so many votes in Sacramento to campaign this year. The UT wrote a detailed piece on this last week. Nobody likes an absent worker, and its clear Fletcher is nowhere near Sacramento voting on various bills or working to alleviate the $16 billion shortfall. A teletown hall throughout his district lets him say he’s continuing to reach out and communicate with constituents. The question remains though; to what end?
Any other theories I might be missing?
Comments 10
He might just be soliciting donations. A lot of people who live outside the City understand the ramifications of Prop B and the importance of the next mayor’s success. That’s why we’re involved with these campaigns
How about they screwed up a bit with the invite list? That seems pretty equally plausible.
I live in San Diego and I was called.
Did he use his state office or campaign to pay for this? Maybe it was the former, and he threw in a few Poway constituents to cover his you know what.
Maybe “Mr. Wheeler Dealer” Fletcher is just greedy. I don’t believe he would be the first pol to fit the bill.
Boy, Fletcher sure has you Republican types’ panties in a bunch! It just kills you someone went off the reservation. I’m hoping we finally see a politician elected who actually takes orders from his constiuents instead of party bosses. What a novel idea.
Kirk, are you one of his Union bosses or one of his Downtown Crony Capitalist bosses? After all he is on your reservation now.
Surely you all can share how lovingly trusting you are of one another. Ha, Ha, Ha.
Kirk Effinger, for what it’s worth I will repeat what I’ve stated on Rostra previously – I am by no means a GOP diehard. In fact, I’ve contemplated leaving the Party.
Fletcher is nothing more than an opportunist who doesn’t know what he believes, and seems willing to do or say anything to get elected. He would turn his back on his constituents in a heartbeat if it served his purpose.
It is annoying when someone owes their entire political career to a Party – including an Unopposed primary for State Assembly in 2008 – and then swiftly turns against that same Party the first time the someone does not get what they want (Mayoral endorsement).
It is difficult not to think of the little boy who says he’s going to take his football and go home. It bespeaks immaturity.
For what it’s worth, I still have my Republican membership card, although for the life of me, I’m not sure why. I’m so disheartened by what I’ve seen happen to the Party over the last decade or so, I can’t stand it. As has been pointed out by many, this is not the Party of Reagan. I don’t know whether cheering on a “Fletcher revolution” will wake the Republicans up or not, but I’m willing to give it a shot. The path currently being pursued is leading to our ultimate destruction.