52nd District congressional race targeted with attention
The political consultants who analyze these contests say this race between Scott Peters and Carl DeMaio is a toss up. In this 2014 campaign, Democrats are worried about losing the Senate and making inroads in the House, which is why the 52nd is so important.
“The 52nd District is on everybody's top 10 list throughout the country,” stated political consultant Chris Crotty. “The Republicans have it targeted, the Democrats have it targeted, 3rd party PAC's have it targeted.”
The district runs from Imperial Beach along the coast – including downtown – to the northern suburbs, and east to Santee and Poway. It is the only district in the state held by a Democrat where Republicans have a registration advantage: 34% are Republicans, 32% are Democrats and 29% decline to state, or are independents. Crotty says the district has fiscally conservative, but socially liberal voters. Overall, the folks in San Diego are moderates and tune out partisan politics.
“Overly partisan politics on either side of the aisle is not going to be accepted well.”
Scott Peters is in Washington and couldn't be at this event in Hillcrest where he was endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBT Civil Rights organization in the country.
“This endorsement confirms what we already know here in San Diego,” said Council President Todd Gloria,” that Scott Peters is, and always will be, an uncompromising advocate for full LGBT equality. He is able to work with both parties to get things done, to move things forward, to avoid gridlock and to be a strong representative for the people of his congressional district.”
Carl DeMaio was not available for a camera interview, but his campaign released this statement: is this really a surprise? The same group of partisan Democrat activists supported Bob Filner in 2012, and now they're supporting a partisan politician like Scott Peters. Another candidate in this race is Republican Kirk Jorgensen – a four time combat marine, currently assigned to the CIA. An outsider, who says both Peters and DeMaio are perennial candidates.
“I'm not somebody who has a political pedigree. I think a mot of Americans from both sides of the aisle are just tired of getting the same results and we see the same names on the ballot over and over again.”
This race has other implications that go beyond California. One, is our open primaries creating more competitive races? And two, what is the number of independents fed up with the rising two-party system?
