The race for San Diego City Attorney is shaping up to be one of the biggest donnybrooks in years, all due to the actions and self-absorption of incumbent Mike Aguirre himself, and the field is fleshing out.
The local GOP has endorsed former Assemblyman and on-leave Judge Jan Goldsmith. A couple of days ago, both Sheriff Bill Kolender and D.A. Bonnie Dumanis threw their significant support to Goldsmith (read the Red County SD post).
The "downtown establishment," including in this case both Democrats and a few business-oriented GOPers caring nada about the party’s preference, are scrambling to narrow their portion of the field. Wednesday’s Alex Roth/Jennifer Vigil U-T story on last Saturday’s by-invite-only meeting to decide between Councilman Scott Peters and former SD Unified Schools Supe Alan Bersin (both Democrats) as the "coalition candidate," referred to poll results that assisted in the reported jointly-agreed selection of Peters.
Considering the story’s multiple anonymous sources in attendance at the meeting, it’s not clear whether the folks there were sworn to secrecy, or just sworn to not allow the media to use their names. More likely: it was assumed no one would talk at all.
At any rate, I also received a call on the meeting, from a reliable, historically-honest and -correct source. Here’s what I heard about the poll:
It was conducted by Dr. Sam Popkin at UCSD, commissioned by Bersin, but apparently to assist both Peters and Bersin to decide the best of the two.
Straight Up Jan Goldsmith vs. Incumbent Mike Aguirre
-Goldsmith 49 / Aguirre 27
Bersin In:
-Goldsmith 33 / Aguirre 25 / Bersin 21
Peters In:
-Goldsmith 28 / Aguirre 25 / Peters 22
All due respect to Dr. Popkin, since this is only what was said, but the source indicated the survey might have a significant flaw in methodology, not taking into account very low expected turnout in June. A low turnout will skew in the GOP direction, thus likely bolstering Goldsmith’s numbers higher than shown here.
This further substantiates earlier SD POA results, which showed Goldsmith in a near-race ender one-on-one against Aguirre. Interesting is that Aguirre is only at a hard 25 to 27 in any scenario. Trouble for the incumbent. Don’t ask why Councilman Brian Maienschein wasn’t included, but the poll may have been in the field prior to his announcement.
My bet is that the Saturday "private" meeting included no talk of both Peters and Bersin getting out, which looks like the better scenario, if the real intent is to oust Aguirre. But, instead, the secret downtown group will back a candidate (Peters) with all that City of SD pension debacle baggage around his neck, thus risking a potential run-off scenario in which Aguirre would clearly use it to his advantage.
Dumb, numbingly so.
In further developments, voiceofsandiego.org noted on Friday the receipt of a press release indicating a major announcement by Scott Peters tomorrow. I wonder what that could be about? Doh!
Have a nice President’s Day and a great week!
February 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Why anyone would vote for Peters or Maienschein, both who helped created this big fiasco in City Hall, when you have such a well qualifed choice as Goldsmith, is a very good question.
February 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Barry:
Thanks for using “Donnybrook”, a fine political word.
According to the handy Merrian-Webster online website, the
word goes back to 1852 and a boisterous annual fair at
Donnybrook, Ireland. Brawls often broke out at these
fairs, and the word Donnybrook went into the language.
See also, “Notre Dame Fighting Irish”.
February 18th, 2008 at 12:00 am
I don’t what the Democrats do to each other as long as Maienschein stays on the sidelines. I don’t know Jan Goldsmith personally, but I’ve appeared before him as an attorney and even tried a case before him last year. He’s a good judge and it would be a shame to lose him, but the City of San Diego would benefit.
Mike Aguirre is a complete moron and has been a total disaster as the city attorney. Goldsmith will have a much better role on the duties and obligations of a city attorney. My only regret is that I cannot vote for him because I live in East County.
February 18th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Oops..I dont CARE what the Democrats do to each other…