Former San Diego Councilmember Carl DeMaio is running for state Assembly, racial justice advocate Geneviéve Jones-Wright is challenging San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria for re-election and former Mayor Kevin Faulconer is challenging county Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer.
They are among dozens of local candidates who filed papers this week for elected office representing San Diego County residents from the U.S. Congress and the state Legislature to local positions on the Board of Supervisors and in cities like San Diego and Chula Vista.
The deadline to file papers for the March 5 primary was either Thursday or Friday for most local offices.
Elsewhere around the county, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells is challenging incumbent Rep. Sara Jacobs for her congressional seat. Elected officials in two East County cities are battling for an open state Assembly seat. And in Chula Vista, an indicted council member is seeking re-election.
Challengers have also stepped up to face county Supervisors Nora Vargas and Joel Anderson.
Vargas, a Democrat representing south County, will face Republican Alejandro Galicia, who was beaten easily by Democrat Steve Padilla in a state Senate race last year. Anderson, a Republican representing east County, is facing Gina Jacobs.
Faulconer, a Republican who was San Diego mayor from 2014 to 2020, will battle Lawson-Remer for her seat representing the county’s north coastal communities.
And of the six candidates challenging incumbent San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, his fellow Democrat Jones-Wright, a former public defender who ran unsuccessfully for district attorney in 2018, has the most name recognition.
Their other opponents are Police Department community relations officer Larry Turner, Thomas Nguyen, Jane Glasson, Athena Johnson and Daniel Smiechowksi.
The race to succeed termed-out San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott is a two-way battle between Assemblymember Brian Maienschein and Chief Deputy City Attorney Heather Ferbert.
Incumbent Joe LaCava, who represents San Diego Council District 1, is facing challenger Anthony Olmo. Incumbent Stephen Whitburn, who represents San Diego’s District 3, is facing two fellow Democrats — Coleen Cusack and Kate Callen — and Republican Ellis California Jones.
In District 5, incumbent Democrat Marni von Wilpert is facing Brittany Naucke. In District 7, incumbent Democrat Raul Campillo is running unopposed. And in District 9, incumbent Democrat Sean Elo-Rivera has two challengers: fellow Democrat Terry Hoskins and independent Fernando Garcia.
In a special election to replace Monica Montgomery Steppe in the city’s District 4, the candidates are Chida Warren-Darby, Shane Harris, Henry Foster, Tony Hawkins and Tylisa Suseberry. Filing closes Dec. 14 in that race.
In state Assembly races, DeMaio, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for Congress after leaving city office, is facing off against fellow Republican Andrew Hayes, an aide to state Sen. Brian Jones in the 75th District, which stretches across inland North and East County.
Hayes has been endorsed by the Republican party for the seat, which is now held by termed-out Marie Waldron. Other candidates include Christie Dougherty, Jack Fernandes, Joy Frew and Kevin Juza.
In the 76th Assembly District, candidates to replace termed-out Maienschein include Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane — who ran unsuccessfully against him last year — and Democrats Darshana Patel, a member of the Poway Unified school board, and Joseph Rocha.
In the 77th Assembly District, Democrat Tasha Boerner is facing challengers James Browne and Henny Kupferstein.
In the 79th Assembly District, candidates include Lashae Sharp-Collins, La Mesa Councilmember Colin Parent and Lemon Grove Mayor Racquel Vasquez. Sharp-Collins has been endorsed by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, who is vacating the seat to run for state Senate.
In congressional races, Rep. Sara Jacobs, a Democrat, is facing a challenge in the 51st district from Republican Wells, the El Cajon mayor. Other candidates in that race are David Burton, Stan Caplan, Barrett Holman Leak and Hilaire Fuji Shioura.
In the 49th Congressional District, generally considered the county’s most competitive, Democrat Mike Levin is facing Republican challengers Margarita Wilkinson and Matt Gunderson, who ran unsuccessfully last year for the state Senate seat now held by Catherine Blakespear.
In Chula Vista, two City Council seats are up for grabs in March, Districts 3 and 4. A special runoff election to fill the city attorney seat will also appear on the March ballot.
In District 3, which encompasses the city’s southeast corner, Alonso Gonzalez was appointed in January after Steve Padilla was elected to the Legislature, but Gonzalez is barred from running. Six people filed nomination papers: David Alcaraz, Hassan Fender, Michael Inunza, Christos Korgan, Leticia Mungia and Daniel Rice-Vazquez.
In District 4, first-term Councilmember Andrea Cardenas is running for a second term despite facing criminal charges. Her opponents are Christine Brady, Cesar Fernandez, Delfina Gonzalez, Rudy Ramirez and Jose Sarmiento.
In the city attorney race, Marco Verdugo and Bart Miesfeld are vying for the post.
