San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer looks to be re-elected to a four-year term, this June, with no endorsed opposition from the Democratic Party. Former (acting) Mayor Todd Gloria opted to run for State Assembly, in a District which wouldn’t elect a resurrected Reagan, and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins found it easier to intimidate fellow Democrat Marty Block, from running for re-election to the State Senate, than challenging the Mayor.
No endorsed opposition from the Democratic Party, in a city with an eight-point Democratic registration advantage, in an election cycle which traditionally has higher Democratic voter turn out. Let that sink in and then ask “Why?”
I believe it is because Mayor Faulconer is doing an exceptional job (DISCLOSURE: I financially support the Mayor’s re-election campaign). He restored integrity to the Mayor’s office, is focusing on key issues which improve the quality-of-life for San Diegans, continues to reform city government so that it is fiscally sustainable, and stopped unnecessary government intervention into private industry, intervention which would have hurt poor people.
Democrat-turned independent Lori Saldaña thinks otherwise. She disagrees with my assessment so much that she launched an independent bid against the popular Mayor, claiming that he hasn’t accomplished much. Saldaña waited until five months before the election to declare her candidacy, has raised little money for her campaign, has no published endorsements from elected officials, but believes she is entitled to debate the Mayor. Her request for a debate is the major strategy she has to raise awareness for her campaign.
I think Mayor Faulconer should debate her. Let me explain why:
I kind of like Ms. Saldaña and she is right to say that we should highlight the differences in both campaigns. Mayor Faulconer adopts a collaborative, centrist approach to governing while Ms. Saldaña adopts the more radical, in-your-face, progressive politics of Filner. Her criticism of the Mayor is that he leads by encouraging council members champion causes he supports (Gloria’s climate action plan and Kersey’s infrastructure plan). In other words, Ms. Saldaña’s criticism is that the Mayor shares credit when things go well and accepts responsibility when things do not. I always thought that was the hallmark of a good leader.
Ms. Saldaña suggests that the Mayor is a placeholder with no real convictions of his own– I have no doubt she will bring that up in a debate. If Mayor Faulconer agrees to debate Ms. Saldaña, and she dares to bring this up, I implore him to ask one simple question:
Why Ms. Saldaña, did you endorse Bob Filner for Mayor of San Diego, when you knew he harassed and abused women?
Ms. Saldaña has explained herself on this issue. She endorsed Filner because she was exhausted from all the pressure the special interests were applying to her:
But in the end, pressures from both inside and outside the campaign wore me down. Trying to explain why I refused to support Filner without outing him became an additional distraction that my opponents exploited in the waning days of the campaign.
We issued a terse, one-sentence statement of endorsement for Filner. Immediately, the critics went silent
Did you catch that? The very reason she says Mayor Faulconer shouldn’t be re-elected is the reason why Filner was elected Mayor–an absence of courage, to resist political pressure and do the right thing. Politician, heal thyself.
Two years ago, Ms. Saldaña wrote a cathartic series about her Filner endorsement on San Diego Free Press. She blamed political parties, the past chair of the San Diego Democratic Party, Bob Filner, Scott Peters, Maryann Pintar, and other local Democrats. She blamed them for putting so much political pressure on her, that she sacrificed her principles, and opted to do what was politically expedient rather than stand up for disenfranchised women.
I like Ms. Saldaña because I think she is an honest person. I disagree with her on over 85% of the issues but I think she might have learned something from the political games she played in 2012. I get that party politics sometimes makes you endorse people you don’t necessarily like nor agree with all of the time. But Mayors have to reject special interests, political pressure from their party, and follow their principles when governing. That’s why the people elected them. That’s what Mayor Faulconer does.
Lori knew Filner was a predator and she endorsed him for Mayor anyway. That has to come out in a debate.
An executive office is a much different job than one of legislator. Executives govern while legislators advocate. Executives offer a vision to colleagues and share credit for success. Executives don’t pass the buck and explain away their mistakes as political pressure. They stick to their guns and do what’s right.
Mayor Faulconer does what’s right. That’s why I support him for re-election
PS: I originally wrote this a week ago and scheduled it to be published today (March 7, 2016). Since the time I wrote it, and the time it was published. Former Democratic Council Member Ed Harris joined the race. As of today, he is not endorsed by the San Diego Democratic Party Committee.
Comments 7
Well articulated Brian. Kevin has kept his campaign promises and made life better for the citizens of San Diego. He is fixing the roads, repairing infrastructure, supporting Prop. B to stop the lavish pensions, and is reducing red tape for businesses and citizens alike. This is what elected officials should do. Kevin has well-earned another 4 years.
Brian- you are incorrect: in 2011 and 2012 I did not know Bob Filner was a “predator.”
The women who told me they had been harassed by Filner never characterized him as anything more than an obnoxious, rude man who made them feel uncomfortable during work interactions, or wouldn’t take no for an answer when trying to get a date.
And frankly, I know of many women who continue to experience similar behavior from men in their professional lives, and choose to stay silent about it. They do so to protect themselves from retaliation at work, or from being accused of lying- which is what happened to me, within Democratic party circles, when I told Chairman Jess Durfee what I was hearing from numerous women.
Basically: I became the problem.
It was only after Filner was elected that I heard from Frye, Briggs and others how abusive and physically aggressive he had become. I believe these actions escalated after his election in 2012. But what was described to me in 2011 was not “predatory,” nor even criminal, in the sense you are implying.
As for why I reacted to the pressure and bullying I experienced from advocates of Filner and others within my former party- in the article you cite, I did not fully explain the emotional conflicts I was experiencing at the time. When I wrote that series of articles in 2013 I felt constrained to disclose an important fact: I am a survivor of sexual assault.
I first went on record about this during a lengthy interview in Voice of San Diego in January, shortly before I announced my candidacy. I was tired of being “in the closet” about this experience, and wanted to air it early. Perhaps you missed it.
I was not comfortable discussing this publicly until last year, after my father passed away. I didn’t want to bring up an incident that I had not discussed with him when it happened to me as a college student. My thought was- why trouble an 87 year old man at that point in his life, and cause heartache over something that took place so long ago? I preferred to spend our final months together having more pleasant conversations.
But during grief counseling, provided by hospice services, I began to come to understand the long-term impact that being the “silent” survivor of a sexual assault has had on my life.
Whenever I experienced being bullied and pressured, I felt the fear and protective responses that had first come up during the attack. And during the confrontations with Filner’s advocates, fear one again put me into survival mode. I made bad choices. That’s what fear does.
It’s been a relief to be able to speak more freely with others about this aspect of my life, and acknowledge my status as the survivor of a violent crime. I believe my ability to discuss this will make me a better advocate for those who have survived similar situations.
Many survivors carry their emotional scars silently, out of shame, embarrassment or for many other reasons. I hope my speaking out will help others seek the type of support and counseling I was fortunate to receive.
So, I admit that I was not at my best in 2012. I felt betrayed, bullied and threatened by people I thought I could trust. In many ways it was very similar to what had happened to me as a young woman, out on a date with a man I thought was “safe.”
I now understand why I felt such confusion and fear 4 years ago, that prevented me from being willing to openly challenge Filner and others who protected him. And thanks to a compassionate counselor and supportive friends- I’m no longer the same person, or the same candidate, I was then.
So- I’m glad you support mayoral campaign debates. I look forward to debating Kevin Falconer. He may “do what’s right,” but I suspect he is doing it to run for Governor, not to be the best Mayor possible for San Diego, which is what residents deserve.
We need his full focus. I don’t believe we have it.
And if he or his advisors want to discuss courage, and the ability to stand strong, and resist pressure and intimidation under extraordinary circumstances, I believe I will have a powerful story about learning to do that after overcoming physical and emotional trauma.
Unfortunately, it is a story that far too many women- and men- who have survived harassment and sexual assault can relate to.
Well, more than 2 months after this post originally appeared, the first fully English-language debate has taken place. It aired live May 24, repeated twice May 28, and will air a final time Monday June 6 on KUSI.
I’m curious what people thought of the KUSI sponsored program.
Also- the NBC affiliate in San Diego will broadcast the 3rd and final debate this Friday, June 3, at 6 pm. Gene Cubbison and Scott Lewis will moderate.
It was interesting timing by the Faulconer camp to only agree to these debates AFTER the end of voter registration on May 23.
But it doesn’t seem to matter this year- the record number of voter registrations in CA, and unprecedented early voting patterns, are promising to make this a very interesting and unusual primary.
Onward to June 7th!
So- the third and final debate of the Mayoral contest has come and gone- and still no comments on this page or anywhere else in Rostra about how the candidates performed.
Is this silence being imposed by Faulconer’s camp as a way of hoping people will just “move on, nothing to see here”?
Or perhaps Rostra readers and participants are satisfied with the weak and ineffective work of this Mayor when it comes to maintaining public safety services, recruiting and retaining SDPD officers, and making sure 9-1-1 is adequately staffed and managed.
Either way: the silence speaks volumes.
Be sure to vote June 7th.
Author
I honestly had no idea that there were debates, Ms Saldaña
I am absolutely supporting the re-election of Mayor Faulconer and, if there was any doubt about his record on public safety, the way San Diego’s finest handled themselves at the Trump Rally proved to me that Mayor Faulconer showed good judgement appointing Chief Zimmerman.
On another note, I saw three of your supporters, waving signs “Honk if you support Lori For Mayor” in Clairemont this week. I smiled at them honked because I think you are a pretty nice lady but I support re-electing the Mayor.
You wrote: “I honestly had no idea that there were debates, Ms Saldaña”
By design. Faulconer has been hiding from me and Ed Harris for months, hoping no one will notice he is in an election battle that has gotten closer than he likes. The debates have made him appear weak, ineffective, inarticulate and desperately fighting over public safety failures with Ed. Meanwhile he deliberately avoided interacting with me and answering direct questions during the televised debates.
“I am absolutely supporting the re-election of Mayor Faulconer and, if there was any doubt about his record on public safety, the way San Diego’s finest handled themselves at the Trump Rally proved to me that Mayor Faulconer showed good judgement appointing Chief Zimmerman.”
Watching police in riot gear forcibly marching and tackling older adults, women and children during a 1 mile walk back to their neighborhoods leaves many doubts and concerns in my mind.
Lori: This isn’t San Jose. The police in San Diego did a GREAT job.
They stopped riots by pushing the anti-Trump thug protesters out of Downtown when they threw things at the Trump supporters and started fights
If the stupid protesters had disbanded and walked away there would have been no problem. But urged on by Bryan Pease and others, they refused to leave.
These thugs got everything they deserved.