Issa or Campa-Najjar: Who Really Represents the District’s Values?

A conservative Latino’s view on politics…

PART I of my series on Campa-Najjar.

The setting was 2018 – the board of supervisors, 5th District debate. Putting on the event and being proper, I invited the usual VIPs to support their candidates. I welcomed those who showed up, including San Diego Democratic Party Chair Jessica Hayes, who came to support her candidate, Michelle Gomez (D). Ironically, the Duncan Hunter (R) camp wouldn’t commit to debating Ammar Campa-Najjar, so I didn’t have the honor of meeting or getting to know him at that point. That said, Ms. Hayes and I had a short and cordial conversation.

• We inferred both parties aren’t as far apart as most think and can come together.

She profusely thanked me for putting on the event and with good reason. Her candidate, trailing, desperately needed the debate and exposure. We then went our separate ways.

Fast-forward to election night and, Ms. Hayes’ comments on Immigration:

• “We can control immigration without being NAZIs.”

It was a 180-degree turn from our conversation one-month earlier. Ms. Hayes suggested Republicans are NAZIs. Sadly, winning can do that. Winners with no grace speak what they believe – as if their win will permanently change public belief forever. Obviously, at the debate, she told me what she thought I wanted to hear. Obviously, she wasn’t truthful.

CANDIDATE AMMAR CAMPA-NAJJAR

That brings us to Ammar Campa-Najjar and his four-year campaign for a two-year job. Campaigning for two election cycles has allowed him to create a near-perfect persona of himself as a moderate. He even claims the most conservative mantel – jokingly but at times, seriously.

TRANSPARENCY – I KNOW CAMPA-NAJJAR

When I led the charge to put on the 50^th Congressional Forum in the primary – as moderator, I always ask the candidates if they would like to meet. It’s an opportunity for them to share their concerns, ask questions, etc. To help understand each other and create a productive forum or debate.

I did the same with Campa-Najjar, and you can’t help but like him. He’s charismatic and polished. However, I’ve been around the block, and while I take these meetings seriously, I’m also sensible – they’re politicians, they always have an angle. Most are cordial, some do politic to push me in a particular direction, but I’ve also responded and tweaked the debate or forums based on their suggestions. It’s an open discussion.

Our committee has included Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians. My track record shows I can work with all sides. It’s why I can put on successful debates, but meeting with the candidates is helpful and the meeting with Campa-Najjar was productive.

TELLING US WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR?

However, a candidate will tell constituents what they want to hear. It’s been that way since the dawn of time and has led to dictators, murderers, despots, and other forms of tyranny leading their people down a road no one thought possible. Wicked men and women can rise to power with the tongue of a serpent.

After four years on the campaign trail, when you’re charismatic, working it every day means becoming polished is an effortless task. You become as good as a used car salesperson selling you that Pinto and you drive off the lot thinking you’re getting a poor man’s Porsche versus a death trap.

That’s not a knock on Campa-Najjar, but the reality of political candidates. Case in point.

Campa-Najjar’s so polished he probably felt he could get away with the following statement:

• “You think I will vote for Biden necessarily; I still want to see how they perform in the debates.” ~ Ammar Campa-Najjar

NEWSFLASH – CAMPA-NAJJAR VOTES FOR BIDEN!

Let me break the suspense. Campa-Najjar voted for Joe Biden!

Campa-Najjar’s statement will be viewed as a politician telling the group what they wanted to hear. To get them to question voting for the Republican candidate, Darrell Issa. Nothing more, nothing less.

An excellent example showing why we must be wary of what a candidate tells us for our vote. Had he voted for President Donald J. Trump; we could talk about him truly representing the district’s will, but he didn’t!

Ironically, this was an unforced error because no one in their right mind would think Campa-Najjar would vote for President Donald Trump.

TO QUOTE THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

• “Maybe Campa-Najjar is willing to say anything to get elected, but he’s not saying derogatory things.”

Let’s find out if he’s willing to say anything to win or if he’s genuine. Regardless, for the Union-Tribune. If someone’s telling us what they think we want to hear to get our vote. They’re treating us derogatorily – typical of the Union-Tribune, honoring the ways of “yellow journalism,” with one-sided views.

How do we find out if he’s going to “say anything to get elected”? Well, there are various ways.

• How did the 2018 freshman Democrats – in the same position as Campa-Najjar – who won in President Donald Trump districts vote?
  • All but two voted to impeach, going against the will of their districts and showing us Campa-Najjar would’ve more than likely voted to impeach.
• Has he shown hypocrisy in any fashion?
  • Campa-Najjar uses the same tactics against Issa (PPP and misdeeds of youth) that he complained about the Duncan Hunter campaign using.
• His endorsements – sought or not – usually expose the candidate’s ideology and beliefs.
  • Campa-Najjar’s hiding endorsements from Democrats: Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (AOC), Barrack Hussein Obama, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden.
  • A who’s who of extreme leftists and socialists he won’t list on his website.
• His statements to one group and then going back to his base, stating something different.
  • Campa-Najjar continues to apologize for speaking to a conservative group while ignoring #BLM and #ANTIFA crimes.
• The candidate’s written work? Some signs help us find out the true face of a candidate.
  • Campa-Najjar speaks on impeachment differently to the district while writing an op-ed to his base and party leaders condemning Senate Republicans.
• Campa-Najjar’s stance on the Second Amendment isn’t pro-gun.
  • His own words betray him – “I was for the assault weapons ban…” – thus, safely assuming he’ll fall-in-line to claim certain guns, based on their looks, should be illegal.

Okay people let’s break these issues down in greater detail.

Continue to PART II of my series on Campa-Najjar.