Politics & Government

Mayoral Race Has a Dozen Contenders

Thursday was the deadline to file nomination papers for San Diego city offices.

Updated.

Rep. Bob Filner, D- San Diego, and Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego, filed their nomination papers Thursday for the San Diego mayoral race, joining a field of a dozen candidates.

Thursday was the deadline for candidates for city of San Diego offices to file the documents, a necessary step to be placed on the June 5 primary ballot.

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District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Councilman Carl DeMaio turned in their papers previously.

"They've heard us on the 10th floor and they've heard us on the 12th floor, and now we're going to take over City Hall," Filner told about 50 supporters after he filed his papers. He referred to the levels of the city building that house the City Council offices and the Council Chambers, but pointedly skipping the mayor's office, on the 11th floor.

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Councilwoman Marti Emerald and San Diego Unified School District Trustee Richard Barrera stood by Filner's side as he addressed the gathering. Emerald called the upcoming the election the most important in years for bringing change to city government.

Fletcher said his campaign has "the most momentum, the most excitement." He said he is the only candidate with support across the political spectrum, and the only one who has proven he can make decisions under fire as a Marine who served in Iraq.

Other mayoral candidates officially in the field are Sharam Adhami, Eric Bidwell, David Cardon, Hud Collins, Sunny Enyoghwerho, Andrew Gade, Steven Greenwald and Tobiah Pettus.

The papers for the mayor's and city attorney's races require 200 petition signatures. The requirement for City Council races is 100 signatures.

The documents also include the candidate's occupation, statement of qualifications and a photograph.

In the city attorney's race, incumbent Jan Goldsmith was the only one to take out nomination papers, so he will seek re-election unopposed. He filed his documents on Monday.

For City Council races, the candidates who have filed include:

-- incumbent Sherri Lightner, Ray Ellis, Bryan Pease and Dennis Ridz in District 1;

-- incumbent Todd Gloria and Dempsey McGibbony in District 3;

-- Mark Kersey and Gregg Sawdy in the open District 5;

-- Rik Hauptfeld, Nathan Johnson, Mat Kostrinsky and Scott Sherman in the open District 7; and

-- Emerald and Mateo Camarillo in the newly created District 9.

Emerald currently represents District 7 but is shifting to the new district when the new council boundaries take effect later this year.

-City News Service


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