New filings… Domestic Workers Union PAC spent $100K to Topple Conservative Supervisor Bill Horn — But he Won anyway. Ouch!

American philosopher Will Rogers observed that, “Politics has got so expensive that it takes a lot of money even to get beat with!”   Recently-filed reports from the Domestic Workers Union PAC again prove Rogers’  genius…  They spent $100K to defeat conservative County Supervisor Bill Horn, and they still lost by over 10,000 votes.

The UDW PAC documents show the money was spent on printing, mailing, postage,  a web site, supplies, phone banks  and to  pay people to walk precincts (!) which is a relative rarity in SD politics.  The full story of the  November 2010 elections is only being written now, 3 months after the voting,  as the year-end campaign finance reports arrive and are studied.

The UDW-PAC had the courage of their convictions, going the Full Six-Figure Solution route to remove a major obstacle to their goals.  But  Purple Heart and Bronze Star-winning Marine combat vet Horn shrugged it off and topped Vista Councilman Steve Gronke anyway.  (Data source:  Form 460 filed by the United Domestic Workers of America Action Fund, for period ending 12/31/2010,  ID #1302384).

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…..WHY DO THEY CARE SO MUCH ?

The County helps administer state and Federal funds used in the In Home Support Services (IHSS) program, which pays care-givers to help elderly and disabled people with their housekeeping and other chores.   Conflict betwwen the UDW and County Supervisors, on how best to do this,  has been a recurring theme for the last 30 years.

In 2008, for instance, the Union-Tribune reported on a UDW protest rally outside the County Administration Center:  ” About 500 people who provide home health care for the disabled and elderly rallied today at the County Administration Building for higher wages… The United Domestic Workers of America seeks a pay boost of $1.50 per hour spread over three years.

“After negotiating for nine months, the two sides had a mediation session Monday that ended when the county refused to raise its offer, Reyes said.  County officials do not publicly discuss ongoing labor negotiations, said Luis Monteagudo Jr., a spokesman for Board of Supervisors Chairman Greg Cox.”

…..THIS  EXPLAINS A  LOT

That is the background which helps make sense of the $100K  effort by the UDW PAC two years later in 2010.   But USMC (ret.) 1st Lieutenant Horn would take home the honors on that particular battle field.

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Jim Sills is a San Diego political consultant. If you have questions about your future in San Diego and California elections, you can contact Jim at this e-mail address: YourElectionVictory@Hotmail.com

He has aided the campaigns of Rep. Darrell Issa, Assemblywoman Shirley Horton, Senators Joel Anderson and Tony Strickland, Representatives Devin Nunes and J.D. Hayworth, County Assessor & Recorder Greg Smith, among many others in California and beyond.