Decision 2013: Sprinting to the finish

LOGAN HEIGHTS – On the eve of the election, we often refer figuratively to the candidates as “sprinting to the finish line”.

But David Alvarez and his campaign supporters were literally on the run in Logan Heights when the trolley they wanted to board stopped a little further away then they were expecting. According to the polls, Alvarez is locked in a tight race with Nathan Fletcher for second place and a runoff election with Kevin Faulconer. He needs his supporters to show up at polls on Tuesday. How is getting out the vote?

“Well you ride the trolley, like we're doing today,” says Alvarez. “You knock on their doors, you get on the phones like we did last night, we've got a lot of volunteers who are really excited about the possibility of this election.”

Meanwhile, fellow Democrat Fletcher took a moment in Hillcrest to talk to a construction crew before heading across the street to wave at passing commuters at the busy 6th and University intersection. Fletcher predicts a strong finish.

“Ed, when you look at the massive negative advertising the Republicans have done against us and a lot of the right-wing groups, we're still holding strong and what we're seeing in the last week of the campaign, the undecideds are breaking our way. People are ready for a mayor who is going to stand up for them.”

Republican Kevin Faulconer, leading in the polls and enjoying a pretty good lead at that, was at the heavily-traveled intersection of Nimitz Boulevard and Sunset Cliffs. We had some fun with a clearly relaxed candidate, as he and his team simply turned and held their signs up to one stream of traffic, then another, as the traffic lights changed.

“We take no corner for granted,” says Faulconer. “It is the home stretch and it's great, our volunteers have been working so hard over the last months, knocking on doors making phone calls.”

Then there's Mike Aguirre. On election eve, the self-appointed civic watchdog was at City Hall to speak to the City Council's infrastructure committee. Last month Interim Mayor Todd Gloria, joined by the Council's Marti Emerald and Mark Kersey, unveiled a $120 million bond proposal to address major infrastructure issues.

“They're just going to unload more debt on the people and we have to standup against that,” says Aguirre. “If there is going to be consideration of that it needs to go to a public vote – I'm here to testify on behalf of the people of San Diego today… We've got to get the people fully informed, and if we know the facts, we'll do what's right.”

Late for the meeting, Aguirre then broke into a mild sprint – he, too, now on the run.

Ed Lenderman
KUSI News