DeMaio: Filner is ‘Simply Incapable’ of Leading San Diego

The sexual harassment scandal entangling San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has cast a new, and perhaps welcome, spotlight on the man nearly half the city thought should have had the job in the first place: Carl DeMaio.

DeMaio, a Republican, gave up his City Council seat to run against Filner last November and lost with 47 percent of the vote to the mayor's 52 percent. But he's been winning on social media as several high-profile Filner supporters call for him to resign amid multiple claims of sexual harassment.

DeMaio's supporters are already responding.

"When he steps down, please consider running in the special election!!!"

"I still am unable to find anyone who voted for him. Or at least admit to voting for him! Run again Carl!"

"Thank you Carl! We need you in the mayor's chair!"

These messages followed a statement DeMaio posted to his Facebook page saying he "hoped Bob would have been a good mayor," but instead important issues have been pushed aside by "strife and turmoil."

"Sadly, the evidence is mounting that Bob Filner is simply incapable of leading our city," DeMaio said. "This is no way to govern a city—San Diego deserves better."

According to Voice of San Diego, if Filner resigns, the City Council would have to hold a special election within 90 days unless there's another election scheduled within 180 days. Council President Todd Gloria would fill in with limited power on an interim basis.

On Twitter, as the resignation calls surfaced, NBC San Diego reporter Sarah Grieco wrote "Somewhere in San Diego, Carl DeMaio is grinning." He responded, simply, "Indeed."

DeMaio, who is running for the 52nd Congressional District seat held by Democrat Scott Peters, didn't indicate in his Facebook statement whether he would run, only saying he was "discussing several ideas with supporters and civic leaders on how we can best help stabilize the situation and help our city move past this chaos."

As for Peters, the congressman issued a statement Thursday morning calling the alleged harassment "inexcusable," but saying he wanted to wait for all of the facts to come out.

"If these accusations are proven true, Mayor Filner will face real, tough and serious consequences. I'm angry and disappointed that our city is facing this terrible situation and I'm sorry that many people have been and will be hurt," Peters said.