SAN DIEGO — Eleven former chairs of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce have endorsed Rep. Scott Peters’ re-election, the latest evidence of Peters’ bipartisan appeal and widespread support within the local business community.
In addition, more than 60 other local high-profile Republican and independent business leaders are supporting Peters, according to a list unveiled today by the Scott Peters for Congress campaign.
Of the 11 former Regional Chamber chairs supporting Peters, all but Ted Roth are registered Republicans. Last month Peters also earned the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which wrote, “We believe your re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives will help produce sustained economic growth, help create jobs, and get our country back on track.”
Phil Blair and Mel Katz, both former chairs of the local chamber, recently called Peters “a dedicated, principled public servant” and “a moderate who understands all points of view.”
“As former chairmen of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, we’ve worked with and known Rep. Scott Peters for over a decade,” Blair and Katz wrote in a recent letter to U-T San Diego. “He’s an articulate, smart, effective advocate for jobs and quality of life, and we’re fortunate to have him representing us in Congress.”
The Peters campaign also announced today the endorsement of the immediate past chair of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, Stath Karras, a Republican, who is backing Peters because he is the better candidate for job creation.
“My personal philosophy it to support candidates (regardless of party affiliation) that tend to be pragmatic, moderate and understand and focus on the importance of the community and economic activity,” Karras said. “I find Scott Peters to be an excellent example of this type of leader. I have appreciated his leadership in Congress look to support him for another term.”
