>> >>PEGGY: THE WINNER OF SAN DIEGO'S CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 RACE WILL DETERMINE IF
THE COUNCIL MAJORITY IS DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN. AND THERE'S AN INTENSE RACE FOR THE SEAT IN
THE 52ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT IMPACT OF THESE CRITICAL
RACES IS MY GUEST MICHAEL SMOLENS, GOVERNMENT EDITOR AT UT SAN DIEGO.
MICHAEL, LET'S STARTS LOCAL. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE,
WHERE IS IT, AND GIVE US KIND OF A THUMB NAIL SKETCH.
>> >>ADRIAN: >> >>: RR A COASTAL DRIS RCT INCLUDES THE
TORREY PINES AREA. THE INCUMBENT IS SHERRI LIGHTNER, A DEMOCRAT.
SHE'S AN ENGINEER BY TRAINING AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND HER CHALLENGER IS RAY ELLIS,
A REPUBLICAN, FORMER MEMBER OF THE SAN DIEGO CITY PENSION BOARD.
AS YOU MENTIONED THIS RACE WHILE IT'S A DISTRICT RACE IT HAS TAKEN ON AN OUTSIDE IMPORTANCE
OF THE BOL BALANCE IN CITY COUNCIL. >> >>PEGGY: RUN ONE OF THE REASONS IS BECAUSE
THIS COULD SWAY A VOTE IN THE CITY COUNCIL ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE STRONG MAYORS
RACE. >> >>MICHAEL SMOLENS: FIRST OF ALL, BOTH CANDIDATES,
YOU KNOW, RAY ELLIS, SHERRI LIGHTNER, THEY'RE DOWN PLAYING THOSE PARTISAN TIES.
THEY'RE NOT STRESSING THAT, BUT PARTISAN POLITICS HAS A BIG PLAY ON THE CITY COUNCIL AS YOU
POINTED OUT IT WOULD BE A 5 4 MAJORITY. THAT WOULD HELP ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER IF THEY'RE
ON THE SAME PAGE GET LEGISLATION THROUGH. WITH A STRONG MAYOR, THE NEW STRONG MAYOR
WE WILL HAVE NINE DISTRICTS THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT HE'S GOT STRONGER PROTECTIONS AGAINST
A VETO OVERRIDE IF HE VETOES SOMETHING THAT COMES THROUGH FOR A 5/4 VOTE, THEY'RE GOING
TO NEED SIX VOTES TO OVERRIDE IT. NOW THEY NEED A SIMPLE MAJORITY TO OVERRIDE
IT. >> >>PEGGY: IT COULD CERTAINLY TURN THE OUTCOME
OF A COUPLE OF VOTES. >> >>MICHAEL SMOLENS: THEY DON'T NEED A SUPER
MAJORITY NEW OVERRIDE A VETO. >> >>PEGGY: ABSOLUTELY.
SHERRI LIGHTNER, SHE'S POSITIONINGÊ HOW IS SHE POSITIONING HERSELF IN THIS CAMPAIGN?
I KNOW SHE HAS PT BEEN COMPLETELY A HUNDRED PERCENT EMBRACED.
>> >>MICHAEL SMOLENS: SHE WAS OPPOSED IN THE PRIMARY BY LABOR.
THEY HAVE MANY SEVERAL ISSUES THEY DISH DISAGREE WITH HER ON, PARTICULARLY THE PROPOSITION
B PENSION OVERHAUL VOTERS APPROVED IN JUNE, SHE SUPPORTED THAT KIND OF LATE IN THE GAME.
RAY ELLIS WAWSES ON BOARD EARLY ON AND SORT OF CRITICIZED HER AS A JOHNNY COME LATELY.
AS WE KNOW, THE LABOR WAS VERY OPPOSED TO THAT AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT
ANGERED THEM ABOUT HER. >> >>PEGGY: WHAT ABOUT RAY ELLIS, HOW'S HE
POSITIONS HIMSELF? >> >>MICHAEL SMOLENS: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
RAY ELLIS IS TALKING ABOUT CITY OF CITYWIDE ISSUES, I'M THE GUY TO IMPLEMENT THE PENSION
REFORMS, WHERE SHERRI LIGHTNER SAYS I'M BIG ON CITY ISSUES AS WELL.
SHE KNOWS THE DISTRICT WELL AND IS TRYING TO USE THAT AS AN ADVANTAGE.
SHE'S BEEN ON COUNCILS AND BOARDS, AND IS PROBABLY BED BETTER KNOW AMONG THE COMMUNITY
GROUPS. RAY ELLIS DID GET MORE VOTES IN THE PRIMARY.
>> >>PEGGY: I INTERVIEWED CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BILBRAY AND SCOTT PETERS EARLIER THIS WEEK.
EACH OF THEM TRIED TO POSITION THEMSELVES AS MODERATE.
WHAT IN YOUR RESEARCH HAVE YOU SEEN? >> >>MICHAEL SMOLENS: WELL, WHAT THEY'RE DOING
IS THEY'RE CATERING THEMSELVES TO THE NEW DISTRICT.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND, BRIAN BILBRAY IS MORE NORTH COUNTY GOT ABOUT A 10% REPUBLICAN VOTER
REGISTRATION ADVANTAGE, THE NEW DISTRICT KIND OF SHIFTS SOUTH A BIT AND IS ONLY A 3% VOTER
REGISTRATION ADVANTAGE FOR REPUBLICANS. HE NEEDS TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
YOU DON'T SEE HIM TALKING ABOUT IMMIGRATION AS MUCH.
>> >>PEGGY: HE WAS A LOBBYIST FOR THEÊ >> >>MICHAEL SMOLENS: CORRECT.
AND SO HE'S TALKING ABOUT HIS ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
STUFF HE ALWAYS DID. SO SOW KIND OF CHANGING HIS TONE.
SCOTT PETERS IS DOING A MODERATE PUSH SAYING I WAS ON THE NON PARTISAN CITY COUNCIL, I'M
ON THE PORT COMMISSION AND I CAN WORK ACROSS THE AISLE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
BRIAN BILBRAY SAYS WAIT TILL YOU GET TO CONGRESS. >> >>PEGGY: THEY BOTH NEED TO SAY THAT BECAUSE
OF THE DIFFERENT MAKE UP IN THE NEW DISTRICT. >> >>MICHAEL SMOLENS: WE TALK ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN
OR DEMOCRAT VOTER REGISTRATION ADVANTAGE, THERE IS IS A HUGE NUMBER OF DEPENDENTS A
U THERE'S BEEN A HUGE GROWTH THOSE FOLK WHOSE DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF EITHER PARTY.
SO TRYING TO APPEAL TO THEM IS SORT OF DOWN THAT MIDDLE PATH THEY GO FROM THE PRIMARIES
YOU'VE GOT TO BE MORE PARTISAN TO GET TO THE PRIMARY.
>> >>PEGGY: 300,000, BY THE WAY, INDEPENDENT VOTERS, WHICH SEEMED LARGE FOR ME.
AS YOU SAID A FAST GROWING GROUP. HOW IMPORTANT IS THE BILBRAY AND PETERS RACE
TO CONTROL CONGRESS? >> >>MICHAEL SMOLENS: WELL, THERE'S DOUBTS
WHETHER THE DEMOCRATS CAN TAKE OVER. THEY SEEM TO HAVE AN OUTSIDE CHANCE.
THIS RACE HAS TAKEN A NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. BOTH MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES ARE DUMPING TONS
OF MONEY INTO THIS, THE NATIONAL PARTIES OUTSIDE PACS ARE SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT STAKE
HERE. INCUMBENTS GLIDE THROUGH FAIRLY EASILY IN
SAN DIEGO. THIS IS RATED AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 MOST CONTESTED
RACES IN THE COUNTRY. >> >>PEGGY: WE ARE OUT OF TIME.