SAN DIEGO — Two of the four candidates for mayor of San Diego are Jewish, although their political viewpoints are quite different. District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis is a Republican and Congressman Bob Filner is a Democrat. Craig Gustafson, a writer for U-T San Diego, has profiled both of them. Here is a link to his article on Dumanis, and here’s the link to the one on Filner.
There’s a similarity to the story lines about the two candidates who are in a primary race for mayor against City Councilmember Carl DeMaio and State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher.
Dumanis started as a clerk-typist for the County of San Diego, went to law school at night, worked her way up the ranks of the district attorney’s office, applied for a job as a judge and was rejected, so decided to run for an open seat, which she won. After serving as judge, she won election as district attorney, and now she’s seeking the city’s top job.
Filner was a professor at San Diego State University disturbed by the possible closure of Hardy Elementary School. But when he protested at the school board meeting, he was treated with disdain rather than courtesy. Offended, he ran for school board and defeated an incumbent. Later he would win a seat on the San Diego City Council, and later still a seat in Congress. Now he’s running for mayor.