Friday, March 20, 2009

San Diego City Council District 8

We announce the arrival of spring with a review of potential candidates. Even though we are months away from anything official the 8th has always offered up more than 5 candidates for office. Given the disinterest of politics in the district it is no wonder that so many seek the City Council position. The vote totals are low and, with enough money, you can flood the mailboxes of the residents, bludgeoning them to support your candidate in order to stop the paper onslaught. Unless it’s a Remer campaign, in which case the mail will keep coming days after the election.

Here is what the rumor mill hath spilled forth:


Alonso Gonzalez
Currently Hueso’s Deputy Chief of Staff. He is known for his policy acumen and, rumor has it, is Ben’s choice. If he is the anointed one, Ben has a strange way of showing it. Most people in the district don’t know who Alonso is and, as of this writing, Hueso has not come out for his guy.

David Alvarez
Currently a staffer for State Senator Denise Ducheny. He has community roots and a profile, albeit low, in the district. He has connections but it remains to be seen if he can exploit them and emerge from Ducheny’s shadow.

Nick Inzunza Sr
Speaking of shadows, this name is one that weary voters may have hoped never to see again. Truth is, the family has been around for a long time, the name is recognized, and the machine still exists in a skeletal form.

BD Howard
Issues with law enforcement notwithstanding, this is not going to be easy. He knows the district having run the field campaign for Hueso and has donors and volunteers he can tap from the Whitburn campaign. However, he doesn’t have a community profile and there are not assurances that the Whitburn supporters will place their bets in the 8th.

Christian Ramirez
A community activist who runs the local American Friends Service Committee office. He can produce bodies but it remains to be seen if he can raise the money.

Raquel Marquez
San Ysidro School Board. She would be a formidable candidate, but family comes first and she is expecting. She’s going to run for higher office at some point. Keep your eyes on her.

Dan Coffey
San Ysidro resident and activist. Having been active in taking down Aguirre he knows his way around City Hall. However, he hasn’t raised his community profile beyond his neighborhood.

Alberto Velasquez
Local Democratic officer, activist and SEIU employee. He has some campaign potential with those two organizations but is unknown in the district.

Remy Bermudez
Don’t count Remy out. She may do it just to spite Ben.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Anyone familiar with Whitburn's campaign campaign knows that BD Howard was a liability--with election results to prove it.

Don't look for Whitburn supporters to flock to Howard's campaign.

He's a nice guy, but he was way over his head in a vigorously fought D-3 race.

What was apparent in the aftermath: BD Howard lacks maturity, was disorganized, and has trouble with booze--big time.

His DUI incidents were not concocted nor a matter of "bad luck." The police reports are very credible to anyone familiar with Howard's life style.

Howard had no intention bringing a case to court. His threat was just a smoke screen. He knows full well going to court would result in the truth about him being revealed.

D-8 Voters Beware:
Howard is attractive and likable enough to be a good candidate--someday. But not until he grows up.

Anonymous said...

All things considered, I'd bet on Alonso taking the seat. That seems to be the way that most City Council seats change hands. On the other hand, this district has a ridiculously low turnout, so whoever has the machine will pull off the victory. Kinda sad to hear about B.D. and his alcohol issues. Such is the wages of the legal profession.

Anonymous said...

It's my understanding that the absentee ballots were lost by over 10,000 votes and the election margin was less than that. If Howard came on board to run the ground game after those votes were cast it only reasons he was the difference in the election day vote narrowing.If we still live in a country of laws one of those founding principles is innocent until proven guilty.I would wager he is not the only person in politics to have a drink from time to time. Would you like to be tarred by accusations that were NEVER proven?

Anonymous said...

My bracket puts on Alonzo and David in the finals. No BD and no Remy.

Anonymous said...

Your bracket sounds like a personal wish list. Fortunately for us all voters are not insiders and they don't always do what their party insiders want them too. Party insiders in the republican party wanted Mitt Romney as their candidate because he had money. So much for party insiders getting what they wanted.

Anonymous said...

First of all, I speak only for myself. Secondly, I live in the 8th and have seen David at community events which is more than I can say for BD or Remy. Finally, brackets are "wish lists."

I don't know where this "insider" rant came from.

Anonymous said...

Thats because all bd cares about is drinking and sleeping with girls. He doesn't care about stuff going on in the community. I mean the guy is how old and still acts like this? Surely the only reason he is even in politics is to get free drinks and desperate chicks.

Anonymous said...

Wow sounds like somebody is pretty bitter. Almost sounds like someone got rejected? Try and put your personal feelings aside and think about the people and what they have had to deal with first the Inzuzas and now Hueso. At least Howard has supported some in this community who were quite different than the Inzuzas and should be given credit for this no matter what your personal feelings are.

Anonymous said...

I'm thinking when Art Madrid steps down as Mayor of La Mesa, Howard could run for that office. One lush to follow another.

Anonymous said...

I'm (Anonymous at 5:09) not running for office. Like other voters and posters here I just want what's best for my City.

Anonymous said...

If you really want what is best for the city of San Diego like you say you do. You know that this is just a smear campaign to try and force B D.
out of the race and you are buying right into it. This campaign is being run by the same sleazy machine that beat Whitburn. The same sleazy Inzuza machine that has run the South Bay for decades. I tried to make your neighborhood a better place and worked very hard myself to make that happen. Now this is MY neighborhood and B. D. gives my neighborhood the best chance for an improvement in representation.

Unknown said...

There are more to come. They may not be well known, but they have more money and a ground game in place. I am not sure if they can win, but, it will be fun to watch.

Anonymous said...

That's interesting Joseph I work in those neighborhoods and I have yet to see anybody going door to door other than a few roofing salespeople.

Anonymous said...

wouldn't be surprised by a carpetbagger or two coming into the race. It's expected.

Anonymous said...

After seeing the 8-0 vote the other day. This changes the whole playing field doesn't it. Ben has made multiple mistakes with the environmental community and Lorena's influence over the council has disappeared. Are you sure anyone else out there really wants to run for the 8th?

Lincoln said...

Looks like you have listed all the Democrats. I believe Lincoln Pickard has filed an intention to run in 2010. He is the ugly old guy in the cowboy hat. He doesn't seem to be a good candidate. He is uncomfortable asking people for
money while running for office. But he does like to fight for the issues that are important to him. He believes and fights for the idea that public officials should obey the mandates of the U.S. Constitution. He particularly likes the First and Second Amendments in the Bill of Rights. He keeps asking why aren't more people demanding that we drill offshore oil. It would help the state's budget crisis. It would put Americans to work and would bring the price of gas down to
$1.50 per gallon. One of the promises from Barack Obama was that he would drill offshore oil. Remember how the price of oil came down after that promise. Apparently that was an empty promise and now the price of gas is pushing $3.00 per gallon. The economy would take off with $1.50
per gallon gas. Helping the homeless with jobs in such an
ecomony or being able to bolster college funds when people have good and stable jobs just don't seem to be issues that are important to most politicians. After all they believe their jobs are secure. Any way old Lincoln is likely to be out their fighting for the issues important to him regardless if anyone else cares.

Horusbedhetys said...

So, I can just sign myself "Anonymous" and say anything I like about a candidate, whether I live in his District or not? I'll be brave, however and sign my name. First of all, "Anonymous" anyone who finds police reports "credible" has never had to deal with them. I work in a field where their reports can be questionable at best; secondly, you never even mention Felipe Hueso, which shows that you obviously don't know this district very well, whether you live here or not...name recognition counts when no one has ever even seen you. Mr. Howard, I have seen, at my door, sober, asking for my vote; these other guys? MIA as far as actual community contact. Would I vote for any of them? Only one of them asked me to give him a chance and, lush or not, I'd rather have BD Howard than the has-beens and grasping, ambitious do-nothings that make up the current field of runners in the 8th District race. Low voter turn-out? Honestly, if Ben Hueso was basically your only choice, would you bother to vote either?