BY WILL RODRIGUEZ-KENNEDY
SAN DIEGO – Thursday, more than sixty members of the San Diego Democrats for Equality gathered to consider endorsements in the two special elections in South East San Diego.
The first endorsement was for the special election to fill the seat of former state senator now Congressman Juan Vargas March 12. Two candidates were presented: Anna Nevenic a nurse and author from Cathedral City and state Assemblymember Ben Hueso.
Assemblymember Hueso won the club’s endorsement receiving 50 votes to Nevenic’s seven.
In the District 4 City Council race, three candidates were presented: labor and senior care advocate Myrtle Cole; San Diego LGBT Pride Executive Director Dwayne Crenshaw and real estate businessman Tony Villafranca.
Club members fielded various questions to the candidates including their position during the LGBT community’s fight against the Proposition 8 campaign; their position on women’s reproductive justice and their own professional records.
Candidates Crenshaw and Cole exchanged barbs during the question and answer period, when asked about their support against Proposition 8 and Planned Parenthood.
“If I have a few moments left I want to talk specifically about results. I am a lifelong member of the NAACP as well and I was just wondering Myrtle if during Prop. 8 you took a personal stance against it?” candidate Dwayne Crenshaw had asked of Myrtle Cole.
Previously Cole had indicated that she had worked hard for the NAACP during the election cycle in 2008. The NAACP endorsed against Proposition 8.
Crenshaw’s question briefly deviated from the rules of the debate sparking the moderator to interject stating that candidates cannot ask each other questions.
“Members ask questions not the candidates,” Cole said to Crenshaw prompting him to respond.
“I am a member.”
“You’re a candidate at the moment,” lectured Cole as the moderator moved to the next questioner.
Democrats for Equality member Cindy Green asked the candidates about residency, sparking some debate during the voting process. Tony Villafranca indicated that he had resided in the district since 1971, Crenshaw that he had been born and raised in the district.
“I have worked in the council district since 1977,” said Cole prompting the questioner to ask how long she had resided in the district.
“The old City Council District, a few years,” said Cole. “The new City Council District, two years.”
That answer seemed to be at odds with past statements by Cole. Questions about Cole’s residency arose when the City attorney issued a memo that the special election would cover the old City Council boundaries prior to redistricting in 2011. Cole, a resident of the newly redistricted District 4, was forced to move into the old District 4 in order to run.
In a City Council meeting Jan. 7, Cole testified that she needed the Council to set the election date for March 26 so that she could establish residency in the old district.
The City’s Web site states that candidates must live within the district for 30 days prior to submitting nomination papers governed by City Ordinance sections 27.0201 and 27.0202.
At issue at that meeting was the ability of the City clerk to allow a 2-week nomination process. City Clerk Elizabeth Maland stated that choosing the March 12 election date to consolidate costs for a special election by joining it with the state mandated election for the 40th Senate District would save the city $100,000 but would further abbreviate the nomination process.
The Council chose the later date which allowed the nominating period to extend to Jan. 25 and Myrtle Cole just enough time to establish residency in the old district in order to seek the District 4 office.
“The Fourth District that I live in has been the same for 40-years; the Fourth District you live in you moved into Dec. 21,” said Crenshaw. “I am going to tell you the truth every time tonight, and that’s important; and what I am going to do for you. We can’t tell people one thing in a different audience and one thing here tonight; we have seen that in this club we cannot do that,” Crenshaw continued.
“I think you are just upset that you lost twice in Council District 4,” Cole struck back. “Don’t take that out on me.”
In the end after a contentious debate by club members Crenshaw received the most votes toward endorsement in the first ballot receiving 32 votes to Myrtle Cole’s 26. Crenshaw was five votes short of reaching the 60 percent majority required to receive the endorsement.
In the second ballot the options before the club were to endorse Crenshaw or not. Crenshaw received 27 votes and “no endorsement” 23 votes. Crenshaw was short 3 votes from receiving the endorsement leading the club to rate both candidates acceptable. Tony Villafranca did not receive any votes toward endorsement.
The special election to fill the now vacant District 4 City Council seat will be held March 26.
Unless I’m mistaken (and I was at the SDDE meeting) I think the second ballot in the 4th District City Council endorsement race was between Crenshaw and “no endorsement” as Cole had been eliminated after the 1st vote as per the club by laws. You might want to verify this and correct your report.
Thank you for your comment. Another reader also pointed this out and the story has now been corrected.
Thank you for reading LGBTweekly.
I was the moderator at the January 31st meeting for San Diego Democrats for Equality. I was the one who told Crenshaw that members ask candidates questions, not other candidates. The following exchange between Crenshaw and Cole did occur as reported.
While Dwayne Crenshaw is a club member, his status as a candidate at this particular forum trumped his right as a member to ask a question. Moreover, I made it clear at the start of the forum that questions should be asked of ALL candidates; Crenshaw’s question was directed to Cole personally.