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 her own: it was a victory for the non-chamber types of real business people and the local GOP who didn’t give up when they were told they couldn’t win.
LOSER **LABOR COUNCIL**. After the Obama boosted ass kicking by labor in 2008 I always had the feeling, to turn a phrase, that they were born on 3rd base and thought they hit a triple. Both labor candidates lost in the City of San Diego. The Republicans dominated Oceanside and Escondido. The labor funded tax hikes went down in flames. Both Republican Supervisors were re-elected.
WINNER **THE ANTI D CAMPAIGN**. Underfunded. Against the Chamber of Commerce, Labor, and the “Republican” Mayor. But these bulldogs dug in their heals and just started chewing. It wasn’t even close. Further, this measure’s failure changes the game: it’s now all about cutting rather than increasing taxes.
LOSER **THE SAN DIEGO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE**. Why any self-respecting business owner would join this organization is beyond me. It’s largely run by hacks and corporate types that don’t give a rip about San Diego. Our Chamber got involved in a tax hike on business, but not in supporting pro-business candidates (actually that might be good their record is hardly stellar). They are an embarrassment.
WINNER **JOHN HOY**. Political consultant John Hoy and his team had a big night with the Zapf win over Democrat consultant Jennifer Tierney. As mentioned above, this was supposed to be a “no-brainer” for Wayne, an aggressive, well funded candidate. Didn’t turn out that way.
LOSER **MAYOR SANDERS**. Unless he comes around to real spending cuts instead of games, at the end of the Mayor’s period in office he will leave the city worse than he found it. You might not love Steve Francis, but I don’t think there is any question that he wouldn’t by crying that it’s an income rather than a spending problem. Ever regret your vote?
Feel free to add more… this is just a starting point.
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WINNER **BRIAN BILBRAY**. After a series of close elections in north county Bilbray blew Busby out of the water.
WINNER **NEW AG STEVE COOLEY**. Top GOP % in the county.
LOSER **LARRY BREITFELDER FOR CHULA VISTA COUNCIL**. Years of game playing back and forth between Reps and Dems finally caught up with Larry.
Tierney the Genius was Stephen Whitburn’s consultant in his
race against Ron Roberts for Supervisor. How’d that one work
out for you, Gemini Girl ?
Let’s hope Kevin Faulconer notices that trend and does not use her services again.
WINNER: **THE LINCOLN CLUB OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY**
The Lincoln Club raised and spent nearly a half million dollars. Nearly every initiative and candidate it backed won. The Club lent stalwart Club President & CEO T.J. Zane to chair the San Diegans Against Government Waste – No on D committee (thank you, Tom Sudberry & board members).The Lincoln Club is fast emerging as the true pro-business organization in San Diego County. The downtown Chamber will soon be in the Lincoln Club’s rear view mirror.
WINNER: **SAN DIEGO COUNTY TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION**
Similar to the Lincoln Club, the Association’s endorsements went to the winners in 14 out of 15 state and local initiatives. SDCTA’s blessing is fast becoming THE go-to endorsement for taxpayer issues. Credit goes to President & CEO Lani Lutar, her staff (Chris Cate, JoAnne Golden, Amy Harris), board chairman Mike McDowell and the many active members who’ve put SDCTA front and center.
WINNER: **JOHN NIENSTEDT, COMPETITIVE EDGE** While other polls claimed to show Props D and J winning (or at least coming close), Nienstedt called it right on the money for his clients. Anyone spending money in the future on any other pollster but Nienstedt is pouring money down the drain. If San Diego Unified School District’s board had listened to John, it wouldn’t have wasted money on a doomed parcel tax measure and instead might have spent it where it counted – on our kids.
Full disclosure: SDCTA and the Lincoln Club are my clients, and I worked on the No on D campaign. But this doesn’t change my opinion one little bit.
Oh, and thanks for calling me a “bulldog” as a member of the No on D campaign effort. I consider it a compliment, and it’s far better than some of the nasty stuff I got called by the Yes on D camp. We had to live by our wits because we certainly didn’t have the big bucks. John Hoy and T.J. Zane will go down as geniuses for the infamous “General and the Librarian” mobile billboard if nothing else.
I think Gayle is right about the Chamber and the Lincoln Club. If you look back over the years the Chamber has focused on accommodating labor, not defeating them. Hell, they even had labor bosses on their board!
And actually Democrat Jennifer Tierny (Gemini Group) was consultant to the Wayne campaign, the Whitburn campaign, and the Prop D campaign (along with Tom Shepard).
That TERRIFIC “General and the Librarian” mobile billboard should be carefully stored for future use — if not still being shown around town. Billboards work best when they are seen often.
Not to beat a dead horse but now that the State LAO is projecting a $25 billion deficit in next year’s state budget, does anyone still believe the “temporary” sales tax set to expire next year really will, as Prop D proponents suggested?
D7 Voter, you and I agree there isn’t a chance in h-e-double hockey sticks the State of California is going to let sales tax money slip through its grasping bony fingers.
LOSER **GEMINI GROUP** As far as I can tell Jennifer Tierney and company went 0 for 3 this time around, losing Whitburn v Roberts in a very Democrat district, losing presumptive councilman Wayne vs. Zapf, and losing Proposition D.
WINNER **CARL DEMAIO AND KEVIN FAULCONER** While DeMaio had already become less than a favorite of the Mayor and establishment, Faulconer took a risk here and **presto** became his own man. DeMaio is now largely setting the agenda downtown.
WINNER **COUNTY GOP** In a bad year for Republicans statewide, the local party organization helped pull off some real victories here in our county.