SAN DIEGO – Tom Blair reported in his San Diego Union-Tribune column on Friday, June 17, that some Democrats were backing Republican Bonnie Dumanis in the approaching officially non-partisan race for mayor, and suggested that Democrat Bob Filner should take note. The veteran columnist listed Murray and Elaine Galinson, Lynn Schenk and Laurie Black.
All four mentioned not only are Democrats, but also, like Dumanis and Filner, are members of our Jewish community. I was not surprised to see Schenk and Black on the list because when Schenk served in Congress in the 1990s with Filner, they were bitter rivals, despite being members of the same party and both representing districts in San Diego County. Perhaps back then, they considered it a zero-sum game: if one got credit, the other didn’t. Black is a friend and former chief of staff to Schenk; her loyalty runs deep. As her mentor did before her, Black served as a member of the San Diego Unified Port Commission.
All this is not to say that Schenk and Black don’t have positive reasons for serving on Dumanis’s host committee. Like them, Dumanis has been shattering “glass ceilings” throughout her career as a judge and district attorney. In other circumstances, however, Democrats Schenk and Black would have paused before choosing a Republican over a Democrat, even in the non-partisan mayor’s race. Who can forget that a “non-partisan” mayor, Pete Wilson, went on to become a U.S. Senator and later governor of California?
As for the Galinsons, they both have long been active in civic affairs and have a wide network of friends across political lines. In an email message to me, Murray Galinson said that being listed on Dumanis’s host committee does not actually mean that he has endorsed her. He said that he has been encouraging both Dumanis and state Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) to consider running for mayor, and added that “I have not talked to Bob yet.”
The Galinsons, Schenk and Black are listed among Dumanis’s “endorsers and host committee” for a June 28 kickoff fundraiser at $150 per person, and along with them on Dumanis’ list are such members of their families as the Galinson’s daughter, Laura Jo Galinson and spouse Jane Fantel, and Schenk’s brother Frederick.
Other fellow Jews on Dumanis’ list is former Sheriff Bill Kolender, who long has been Dumanis’ close ally; former County Assessor Greg Smith; former San Diego County Fair Commissioner Barry Nussbaum and his wife Denise; former Anti-Defamation League regional director Morris Casuto, who worked closely with the law enforcement community during his tenure; and Richard A. Katz, a longtime regional and national leader in the America-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Also included is philanthropist Linda Katz, wife of Jewish community member Mel Katz.
Meanwhile, Filner’s congressional office has sent out a news release touting the fact that among retirees – a big part of America’s electorate – there is appreciation for his consistent voting pattern in Congress.
The release reported that the Pro-Retiree Score Card issued by the Alliance for Retired Americans, representing four million retirees nationwide, gave him a 100% score on his votes in the second session of the 111th Congress.
“It’s an honor to receive a 100% score from the Alliance for Retired Americans,” he said in a statement. “Nobody should have to worry about deciding if they should put food on the table or pay for their medications — we as a society must do better. I will continue to fight for the issues that impact the quality of life of older Americans. It is important for groups like this to keep track and hold us accountable to our constituents.”
The news release added that “the mission of the non-profit Alliance for Retired Americans is to protect the health and economic security of older Americans, reward work, strengthen families and build thriving communities.”
The District Attorney’s office also issued a news release on Friday to announce that a webpage has been created to permit members of the public to learn the status of defendants in criminal proceedings before the court. http://www.sdcda.org/case/index.php
“It is important that members of the public , especially victims, interested in our cases have a pla e where they can easily find basic information,” the release quoted Dumanis as saying. “This web page is in keeping with our office’s commitment to openness and transparency and allows anyone to access up-to-date information about criminal cases.”
As the election approaches, we can anticipate that both Filner’s congressional office and Dumanis’s district attorney’s office will be sending out more news releases about their official accomplishments. This is the kind of contest I enjoy because both officeholders have many positive things to which to point.
So, let’s enjoy it while it lasts. At some point, if history proves to be a precedent, the campaign will turn negative. And that is the kind of contest that I really dislike.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com