A four-way race for mayor in National City has become central to Democratic interests in South County. And whoever wins may be an indicator of what’s to come down south.
For the past year, Republicans have held the mayor’s seat in all three cities — Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and National City — despite South County’s largely Democratic voter base.
Dems are hoping the upcoming election will change that in at least one city. But they’re not necessarily holding their breath for Chula Vista or Imperial Beach.
In Chula Vista, the Democrat challenging Mayor John McCann seems to have all but thrown in the towel, our Jim Hinch writes.
And in Imperial Beach, Dems worry a three-way race for mayor — where two of the candidates are Democrats — will split the vote and ensure the conservative-leaning independent (and incumbent) Mitch McKay, will take the win.
That leaves National City.
City Councilmember Marcus Bush is facing off against City Councilmember Jose Rodriguez. Although both are Democrats, they are each backed by different interest groups and political heavyweights, and the total money raised so far in this race has already far exceeded the 2022 mayoral race totals.
National City could be a bellwether for where political tides are flowing south of San Diego.
South County Wants to Build, Baby
South County leaders seem to have joined the YIMBY, pro-home-building movement.
In a series of candidate forums last week, including our own Politifest, candidates for mayor in National City and Chula Vista, along with San Diego City Council District 8 candidate Antonio Martinez, voiced strong support for high-density housing, public transit, walkable shopping districts and anything else that would lower housing and transportation costs for residents.
The unified pro-development attitude contrasts sharply with many North County cities, where backlash against state housing mandates has been fierce.
Candidates’ proposals ranged from using AI to speed up permitting to transforming San Ysidro Boulevard into a walkable shopping and entertainment district akin to Chula Vista’s Third Avenue.
Both National City Councilmember Jose Rodriguez and Chula Vista Elementary School District Trustee Francisco Tamayo said they would seek to turn city-owned land into low-cost, for-sale housing.
“We must take a very active and proactive approach,” Rodriguez said.
Read a longer version of the story here.
Border Report: Jazz Festival Blends Music, History and Activism
The San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival hosted shows in both cities over the weekend.
Friday night’s show on Tijuana’s Avenida Revolución featured Femina Fatal, a rapper from Ensenada, who performed with Colectivo Fronterizo, a jazz fusion group. Voice contributor Kate Morrisey saw it live and interviewed Femina Fatal after her set.
Fatal was at one point the only female rapper in Ensenada. She told Morrisey that she uses her music to speak against the injustices she sees around her, like violence against women and gender inequality.
“The simple fact of living in Mexico, being a woman and living in Mexico, that’s already a protest,” she said in Spanish during an interview after her set. “Things that I saw around me that weren’t correct — violence, gender inequality, economic violence, the terrible government that is always there, all the governments, the injustices.”
The event’s director said that Tijuana has deep jazz roots, in part because its history as a boozy, clubby outpost during Prohibition.
In Other News
- Ballots were mailed out over the weekend, and are expected to land in voters’ mailboxes this week. Voters can cast their ballots by mail, a ballot drop box or in person. (Union-Tribune)
- The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is expected to arrive back in San Diego this Thursday after completing the second-longest deployment in Naval history to the Middle East for the U.S.’s war against Iran. Eight sailors attempted suicide during the 286-day deployment. (KPBS)
- Average apartment sizes in the U.S. have grown year-over-year, but not in San Diego. (Union-Tribune)
- Bad news, y’all. This heat wave is going to last until at least Thursday night. (KPBS)
The Morning Report was written by Tigist Layne and Jim Hinch. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.