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Good point for pointing out the context. If the city didn't annex its suburbs, it might be more Democratic politically. That might have been a political strategy pursued by the city politicians back then in order to help keep the Republicans' political fortunes afloat. You can make a rough socioeconomic divide of the city using the I-8 freeway as a line between the more blue-collar city southwards and the upper income suburbs to the north.
The annexation practice was accelerated under the mayorship of Roger Hedgecock of radio show fame. In 1964, the owner of the Ranch San Bernardo farm (now Rancho Bernardo), a 33000 acre farm (geez), approached the city of San Diego with a deal, annex the farm, allow the massive development there, that took a good 30 years to build out, build the main roads, and the city in return got water collection rights to Lake Hodges. The concept proved so successful that it became SOP. For years, the San Diego city limits had a 15 mile long, 200 foot wide strip of land following what is now I-15 to connect RB with the rest of the city. Most of the land in between has long since been annexed in as well.
From what I read the winner is a center right traditional Republican (aka RINO) and not a venom-spewing, government-in-your-bedroom tea party man. In other words, he is nothing that the wingnuts out there would ever support or should get excited over. It does demonstrate that moderate Republicans can win elections in the 21st century.
What type of "venom" does a Tea Party man (only men; no women in the Tea Party, are you sexist!?).
Would it be asking the government to not raise taxes?
Or to not spend more than it receives in revenue?
Or that it respects the constitution?
...and this is why I favor Florida's political leaning because Republicans are too small a concert in California unless you're living in Orange or Kern County.
The fact remains he won the election in one of the largest cities in the state. It shows the party has not lost all its support in California. Not many are going to start dancing in the streets or think this is a mandate, but it does show the party isn't as dead as the left would like to think.
Moderate Republicans are more "dead" in their own party than with the electorate. They can't get nominated. He got to the big dance in San Diego because they have a non-partisan primary. Had the poor guy had to run the tea party gauntlet he would not have been on the ballot. That, not popular acceptance of center right ideas, is the Republican problem.
A Republican may have become mayor but the city council is a majority Democrats so he will have to work with them. I'm glad because the Dems will keep him in check. Also, this special election had a low turnout so Alvarez could have gotten a lot more if more people had shown up to the polls.
I didn't expect the GOP would win this one! 2014 is going to get worse, and worse, and worse, for any politician with a (D) after his or her name.
It's a refreshing change, especially where Californians are concerned. We've got a ways to go in other places where such change is needed from the travesty that is D.C., but it's a great start toward America's rebound.
I'm not sure how this indicates a "rebound" or "comeback" for Republicans on a national scale. The Democratic candidate had a weak campaign and Faulconer had a strong campaign. Had the Democratic candidate been someone else with a stronger campaign like Nathan Fletcher, a Republican probably wouldn't have won. Don't think for a minute that Republicans aren't corrupt. Many Republicans get cozy with big developers and funnel taxpayer money to them. A lot of people are worried that Faulconer will be one of these pro-developers. There is a rich developer in San Diego named Doug Manchester. He bought out the city's newspaper and turned it into a Republican agenda rag. He owns a few of the hotels around here and was a big donater of the Yes on Prop 8 campaign back in 2008. Faulconer has associations with him.
LOL, when you're desperate, you cling on to races that don't matter. Same thing happened with a little known state assemblyman in Arkansas. I forgot his name and district, that's how little that matters. Also, like the previous poster on page 1 said, 99.9% of the country did not know there was a mayoral election in San Diego. I didn't until I happened upon this post
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