Just hours after former Republican candidate Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher announced he would be approaching the mayoral race as an Independent, all San Diego mayoral contenders met at the LGBT Community Center in Hillcrest in what became an evening of lively debate Wednesday evening.
The biggest applause was met when Fletcher criticized San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio for attacking his conservative credentials to Republican party officials. DeMaio retorted, “I have never criticized any of my opponents for their position—“ but was interrupted after the crowd booed him into silence, shouting “Liar, liar!”
While Fletcher’s switch garnered some attention, the debate remained focused on San Diego’s most important issues like repealing Prop 13, pension reform, homelessness, and taxes – including debate on which candidate would be best for the gay community in San Diego.
“I would not underestimate the power of electing and sending a message to San Diego and the United States to have a gay mayor of San Diego,” said District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.
“It could be that shattering of the glass ceiling, and all those shards of glass hitting the floor, sending a message that your orientation should not matter,” said DeMaio.
“I think at some point we have big substantive issues how we rebuild our economy our education system, how we rebuild our city services — so those are the issues we should be discussing,” said Fletcher after the forum.
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Video Source: San Diego 6
There were no Union busloads, no mass pre-printed signs, none of the signs of any organized packing of the Hall. It was a real community crowd. It appeared most walked to the event from Hillcrest, North Park, etc. Carl said he “had 5 events scheduled foe Wednesday night” and had to leave at 6:45–but he stayed longer to try to defend himself. But when the event was over, he dashed away via a side door. All others remained for press interviews, casual conversations, Filner had a low-key reception at Bamboo Lounge. But Carl was too busy. Maybe in the interests of credibility and transparency, Carl could identify the “5 events”? I suspect a total lie so he could escape.
The only LGBT issue raised was homelessness and Fletcher and Filner, clearly have no idea what is important to the gay community and how to adress the root cause of it’s problems. All band aid answers with no pro avtive solutions. DeMaio and Dumanis, being gay, have an inside track as to how to proceed. Very behind the times, San Diego…
SO SAD San Diego – why do we always have to have the WORST CHOICES when it comes to Mayoral candidates? DeMaio is a horrible Republican right-winger who has already and will continue to sell out his own LGBTQ community when it comes to raking in donations from anti-gay corporations, such as the hotel industry (which are also anti-union and abuse their immigrant employees). Fletcher is a wolf in sheeps’ clothing. Dumanis is a right-winger who does not support localism in jobs and her own employees at the DA’s Office can’t stand her… leaving us with Bob Filner who is a career politician it seems, but at leaast has the right ideas to push our City forward and has a great track record on veteran’s affairs, LGBTQ rights, anti-war, pro-local, pro-worker, and doesn’t back away from fights against Big Business and abusive developers. So… Bob Filner by default would be best but he doesn’t have buddies in the media who will let him go on the air like Dirty DeMaio and his buddies at KUSI News. http://www.dirtydemaio.com/