Politics can be strange. Carl DeMaio, the firebrand conservative who promises Californians he is going “to take back their state from socialism” wouldn’t be the typical candidate you would associate with “progressive” causes.
Again, politics can be strange. DeMaio’s various committees have given $95,000 to provide Democrats a “Progressive California Voter Guide.”
The slate mailer went out to voters calling on them to “DEFEND CHOICE” – as in reproductive freedom and access to abortion services — in the 75th Assembly District DeMaio is campaigning to represent. It attacks his fellow Republican and rival in the race, Andrew Hayes as a “MAGA Extremist” who signed a pledge to “outlaw all abortions – ‘from conception’ – with no exceptions.”
There’s no actual group running the “Progressive California Voter Guide.” It’s just DeMaio.
DeMaio’s campaign for Assembly paid $15,000 for the mailer. Reform California, the committee he leads that has been accused of blurring the lines between its independent role and his campaign, gave the mailer $60,000 on Sept. 13. A month earlier, Reform California, which shares the same treasurer as DeMaio’s campaign, gave the slate mailer committee $20,000.
His actual abortion views: DeMaio has vacillated a bit on whether women should have access to abortion. He got some national attention when he ran for mayor in 2012 for being a gay, pro-choice Republican. And in a tense battle against conservative Rep. Darrell Issa for Congress, he mostly held to the view that abortion should be legal, though he tried to find what looks now like a comically flimsy middle ground.
“I’ve always said, you know, in my libertarian way, even if you have a freedom to do something, it doesn’t mean that I’m going to support my tax dollars going to something that I disagree with. I personally disagree with it, and I really want to see us reduce the number of unplanned unwanted pregnancies in this country. And I think that’s a great unifying focus. My position is no different than Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the issue,” he told KPBS four years ago.
A few years later, Kavanaugh was one of the key votes on the Supreme Court to eliminate women’s right to access abortion and now several states have severely limited access.
That Race Is Really Rough on the Party
Last week’s Politics Report on the hostilities between Carl DeMaio and the new leadership of the Republican Party of San Diego got some traction.
On Tuesday, nine Republican elected officials, including several mayors, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa and the California state Senator Brian Jones wrote a letter denouncing DeMaio and supporting his opponent, Hayes.
They cheered the new party chairman, Corey Gustafson, on his stand against DeMaio.
“At a time when Party unity and clear moral compass are essential, Chairman Gustafson has stood against an immense amount of pressure from a candidate who has decided to put personal ambition ahead of our Party’s shared values and goals,” they wrote.
Other Notes
Politifest: We are one week away from Politifest. I think it’s going to be the best ever. Check out the program. I will be moderating a debate about Measure E, the one-cent sales tax for the city of San Diego, then an interview with Terra Lawson-Remer. After a day of debate and discussion about some pretty complex policies and races, we all (ticketed attendees) get to unwind with some straight politics crack: David Wasserman, senior editor & election analyst, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Nobody could give us a better read on the data coming out of the presidential race or key U.S. Senate and House races.
Get your tickets: Students are free. But the cost is a bargain for a buffet like this.
Welcome Jim Hinch: For many years, I have wanted and promised people we would get an investigative reporter in South Bay. He’s starting strong. He noticed the trend of cities banning homeless encampments and he brought up some great questions about a National City councilmember’s recent hires.
If you have any feedback or ideas for the Politics Report, send them to scott.lewis@voiceofsandiego.org.