On Sunday, City Councilman Carl DeMaio announced he is running for mayor of San Diego, making him the second Republican from the LGBT community to enter the race. Bonnie Dumanis, currently serving as the first open lesbian District Attorney in the country, announced her intention to run earlier this year.
State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, also a Republican, joined the race on Monday. U.S. Congressman Bob Filner, the only Democrat in the race, announced his candidacy on Wednesday. Both Fletcher and Filner are straight allies of the LGBT community.
“We have a comprehensive plan to fix San Diego’s financial problems and make city government work again for the people – and I’m running for mayor so we can implement that plan,” DeMaio said, during a press conference announcing his candidacy.
DeMaio’s plan is his Roadmap to Recovery, a 90-page booklet he released six months ago that includes steps to reform the city’s pension system, “and fundamentally rethinks how our city government operates, with an emphasis on delivering services in fast, better and more efficient ways.”
During his speech, DeMaio also announced he is sponsoring a Comprehensive Pension Reform ballot measure.
“As I campaign for mayor, I am making passage of the pension reform ballot measure my top priority and we will be collecting signatures and promoting passage of the measure at every one of our campaign stops,” he said.
The same day as DeMaio’s announcement, news broke that Fletcher would also join the race; however, he did not make his announcement until Monday.
“We will focus on growing our economy, improving our schools and reinventing the way our city delivers services to position San Diego as a global leader in innovation,” Fletcher said in an email to his supporters. “It will require bold ideas and leadership that helps reset San Diego for the future.”
Wednesday afternoon, Filner filed with the city to begin his mayoral campaign.
“Congressman Filner will be filing the necessary papers today to raise funds for the 2012 Mayoral Race,” Maripat Finigan of Filner’s campaign told LGBT Weekly. “This is not an ‘exploratory committee’ but a real commitment to the citizens of America’s Finest City.”
Rumors had been circulating about whether DeMaio, Fletcher and Filner would join the race. DeMaio first filed papers in January, although he made no official announcement at the time. Candidates could not officially campaign until Sunday, one year prior to the June 5, 2012 election.
State Senator Christine Kehoe, an out lesbian Democrat and former city councilwoman, announced last week she has put together an exploratory committee for a possible mayoral campaign. She had not officially joined the race, as of press time.
If DeMaio or Dumanis win the election, then it will be the first time San Diego has elected an openly gay or lesbian mayor.
Interestingly, I’ve had contact with Every Single person running and my experience is None of the Above have expressed even a Remote interest in protecting women forced to remain in Family Court for criminal court issues.
Plus, am betting none of them can say how many women have been hurt or killed since I requested Specific help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhOrh1_Oa3c