Is Tightrope-Walking Scott Peters Vulnerable to GOP Challenge in 2014?

Rep. Scott Peters visited Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club on Tuesday, which U-T San Diego columnist Logan Jenkins called “a group … largely populated by Republicans with no love for President Obama in particular or Democrats in general.”

But Democrat Peters, who ousted incumbent Republican Brian Bilbray in the newly drawn 52nd District, made friends there during his Easter recess visit, Jenkins wrote Wednesday.

“They might not all vote for him, but they seemed to respect the mild-mannered Democrat running in the middle of a winding road with partisan fire on both sides,” the veteran columnist said.

Headlined Democracy breaks out in new congressional district, the column noted the close balance of registered Democrats, Republicans and independents in the district stretching from Carmel Valley and Poway down west to La Jolla and then Coronado.

“While San Diego’s four boringly ‘safe’ representatives—[Susan] Davis, Darrell Issa, Juan Vargas and Duncan Hunter—can bask in the sunny certainty that their re-elections in 2014 are virtually assured, Scott Peters ... has a target on his back as large as the Soledad cross,” Jenkins wrote.

“For national Democratic strategists, Peters is on the oh-my-God endangered list. For Republicans, he’s on the by-God extinguish list. Robust names like DeMaio and Faulconer are circulating as likely GOP challengers in 2014.”

How do you view Peters so far?  Is he managing the walk the tightrope in the divided district?  Is a serious challenge possible despite his wealth and incumbency?