Vargas’ Double-Edged Sword… Assemblyman Juan Vargas can’t gain a bit of traction in what is becoming a flailing attempt to unseat Congressman Bob Filner (Dem primary in CD 51).  Vargas is running some inanely cartoonish TV ads trying to tie Filner to Duke Cunningham…some of the worst spots I’ve ever seen.  Filner may be as liberal as they come, but no one in this strongly Democratic district is buying he’s a crook as well.  Alternatively, Filner’s ads compellingly tie Vargas to the insurance industry, with victims of the Cedar Fire saying that Vargas sold them out for an ounce of silver.  This all follows the early March Union-Trib expose on the Vargas-Insurance connection.  

This past week, Matt Potter in the San Diego Reader nails Vargas’ perception problems in one blurb, writing that on "May 19…Vargas, who chairs the Assembly’s insurance committee and has been the subject of newspaper exposés about his coziness with the industry, got $3000 from the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and $1000 from Aegon USA, Inc., the United States subsidiary of the giant Netherlands-based insurer."  

Insurance has become Vargas’ double-edged sword.  He needs the industry’s money to win, and for every dime he takes, it creates more baggage for Filner’s use.  And, no amount of pandering about violent sexual predators being released into his district is going to save Juan now, even if he is right.

Lest we forget, the last state reapportionment forced Filner into a new district that included Imperial County and a much larger Latino demographic, all at the behest of Vargas, and for one reason: To soften Filner up and place him in an area viewed competitive for a Vargas challenge.

Any bets on what Juan hates the most right now?  Well, it’s either a) term limits, or b) that he ever accepted that Insurance Committee chairmanship.

Duking it Out in CD 52, or Driving for Victory… No, not that "Duke." Apparently Vargas and Filner are not the only two Democrats battling in a San Diego primary.  Literally battling.  Not as bad as fisticuffs, unless you consider it dangerous to drive your opponent around on the hood of a car.  In Duncan Hunter’s district there are a couple of Dems vying for the right to lose to him in November.  No one knows their names, and no one even knew the primary was heated…until the news this week that candidate A’s staffer is accused of running over the foot of candidate B’s staffer, followed by another B staffer jumping onto the hood of the culprit vehicle and having to hang on for dear life across city streets.  

For folks to be taking things this seriously, the two candidates must have convinced their workabees they actually have a chance against Duncan…or believe it themselves.  I don’t know if that’s funnier, or that the piece on local KNSD-TV’s website still doesn’t name the candidates.  And, I’m not even gonna tell you their names.  All this, and these clowns STILL don’t get any earned media.  See the story here.

E-Filing in the City of SD… Living up to the continued reputation for exceeding by miles state FPPC regulations, the City of San Diego will soon be mandating electronic campaign filings.  The threshold will be a piddly $10,000, ensuring that those raising the minimum will both lose and spend 25% of their budget on software and a treasurer.  The San Diego Reader’s Matt Potter (again) picks up on the story here. 

North County Times on Bilbray-Busby… See the NCTimes posted video clip from Wednesday night’s Cal State San Marcos debate here.

The paper also endorses Brian:

Bilbray’s experience gives him edge

Read it all.

Additionally, William Finn Bennett’s big wrap-up piece, posted late Saturday night:

Candidates’ policy positions —- differences, similarities

NORTH COUNTY —- Judging by the television attack ads and the fingerpointing, one might conclude that Democrat Francine Busby is a pro-tax, free-spending liberal who is soft on illegal immigration, while Republican Brian Bilbray is a carpet-bagging Washington lobbyist who is in the pocket of big oil.

As I am posting the link to the NCT website, a Busby video ad is running on the same page…she is aligning herself with John McCain.  Read the article (and perhaps see the ad) in its entirety.

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 28th, 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.