A Conversation with a D8 Candidate

Our newsroom is preparing for our biggest event: Politifest Elections Showdown.

We’re hosting debates between candidates and conversations about some of the most pressing issues in our region.

We have mayoral debates for candidates in El Cajon, Chula Vista, National City and San Marcos. San Diego City Council candidates are also joining us.

Politifest is on Saturday, Oct. 3, with special satellite events on Friday, Oct. 2.

Click here for to the full schedule and more information.

Chismeando with Antonio Martinez

I’ll moderate a discussion with San Diego City Council District 8 candidate Antonio Martinez at 10 a.m. His opponent Gerardo Ramirez could not join us.

District 8 encompasses the communities of Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Sherman Heights, Grant Hill, Nestor, Southcrest, Shelltown, San Ysidro and Otay Mesa. Councilmember Vivian Moreno currently represents the district but she is termed out.

Martinez has run twice before to represent the district. He is on the board of the San Ysidro School District and he previously worked for Rep. Juan Vargas.

Ramirez is Moreno’s chief of staff and has worked at the city for nine years. Both candidates are Democrats.

I recently watched a debate where both candidates made it clear they want to ensure residents of District 8 get their fair share of government services, and that they both believe City Hall needs to do better.

Martinez spoke about how the city needs to be more involved in the Tijuana sewage crisis. He wants to see more collaboration with the county to address homelessness.

The candidate also criticized his opponent for taking money from an individual who wants to open a landfill in Otay Mesa. Ramirez responded that he opposes the landfill. The contribution was made through an independent expenditure committee, which candidates can’t control.

Ramirez criticized Martinez, too. He brought up that the San Ysidro School District is, in simple terms, about to go broke. Our Jim Hinch has reported on the school district’s money troubles.

I expect this race will get spicier as the days go by.

One interesting thing about this race is the groups that have come out to support each candidate. Martinez has secured endorsements from elected officials, the union representing city firefighters and a key labor endorsement from the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council.

Surprisingly, his former boss, Rep. Vargas, hasn’t endorsed in this race. No sé por qué.

Ramirez has secured endorsements from the largest labor union of city employees, unions representing carpenters and laborers, and the union representing San Diego police officers. Business is also behind him. The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce endorsed him, according to a post on their website. That endorsement is not listed on his website or on his Instagram account.

During the primary election, the Chamber found itself it hot water with many elected officials, labor groups and candidates who were upset that among the job posting the organization shares, there was one for positions with the GEO Group, a private company that operates immigration detention centers.

The Chamber issued a statement saying it was not affiliated with the hiring of immigration agents, and that it had a long-standing record of supporting immigration reform polies. That wasn’t enough for some like Rep. Vargas who said he was boycotting the organization.

I’m preparing for my discussion with Martinez. If you have any questions you’d like me to ask him during Politifest, you can email me at [email protected].

Get your tickets for Politifest here!

More Chisme to Start Your Week

• Our City Hall reporter wrote about the San Diego City Council race in District 4 between incumbent Henry Foster and challenger Martha Abraham. Our editors also reported that the union representing city firefighters pulled its endorsement of Foster. We’re hosting a District 4 debate at Politifest. (As if you needed another reason to attend!)
• MacKenzie Elmer tried to understand why Supervisor Jim Desmond supported a study on cleaning the Tijuana River, but not the thing that would help pay for it. (I might as well mention we’re also holding a discussion about the county sales tax increase that would be for that work at Politifest.)
• Education reporter Jakob McWhinney wrote about a teacher who was recently awarded for her work, but that didn’t protect her job.

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