AWKSD's voting guide for the 2022 primaries
Let's keep California a sanctuary for bodily autonomy, intellectualism, and most importantly, compassion
I started writing this election guide before 19 elementary school children were killed by gunfire in Uvalde, Texas, and I’m sorry, but it just feels a little futile to tell people to vote. We’re a deeply poisoned country where constitutional “freedoms” keep us in a state of fear, and no one has a backbone to make any real change because of a misinterpreted amendment.
Anyway, here’s a voting guide.
The election is Tuesday, June 7.
STATE
It’s probably not healthy to #votebluenomatterwho or whatever, but let’s look at California from a distance. Women have control over their own bodies here. We’re not banning books. We can say “gay” in schools. We have an infrastructure in place that allows all humans to live with dignity.
This is not to say that there aren’t problems with California and that we should be content to accept the status quo, but, honestly, what’s going on in Republican-led states is fucking terrifying, and I fear that we’re only seeing the beginning of how they wield their power.
So for these state races, I say just stick to party lines. Let’s keep California a sanctuary of bodily autonomy, intellectualism, and most importantly, compassion.
Governor
Gavin Newsom is a politician, first and foremost. If you had to cast a sleazy, slimy politician in a movie, Newsom fits the bill. But he’s done a fine job of leading California throughout the pandemic, and his mandates kept way more people alive than in Republican-led states. I’m truly sorry if you couldn’t go to Applebee’s during the lockdown, but a lot more people are still living because of it.
Vote Gavin Newsom for Governor.
Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor is like vice president, but with even less prestige and responsibility. That said, Eleni Kounalakis has stepped up and proven herself to be a force majeure in California politics. She recently signed an eviction prevention bill into law—an incredibly rare display of executive power for a second-in-command. Kounalakis was already a shoe-in, but this confidence and initiative proves how strong of a leader she is.
Vote Eleni Kounalakis for Lieutenant Governor.
Secretary of State
Shirley Weber is a San Diego legend. She spent 40 years teaching at SDSU as professor emerita of Africana studies, as well as served as the president of the San Diego School Board of Education from 1988 to 1996. She was elected to the State Assembly in 2011, and in 2020, authored SB 3121, which created the nation’s first-ever task force to study how to address reparations for descendents of slaves. She’s also authored a ton of important bills on police accountability. While the Secretary of State’s responsibilities mostly involve elections, Weber’s experience and wisdom make her ideal for any high-level leadership position.
Vote Shirley Weber for Secretary of State.
Controller
The state controller, uh, controls the disbursement of all the state funds, and considering that California has a surplus of around $100 billion (hey, we could buy two Twitters!), I guess this job is important. Money-related races are all a little zzzz to me (see also Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Board of Equalization races), but they’re essential, and Malia M. Cohen already has financial experience as the Chair of the Board of Equalization. Also, Malia, after you’re elected, please consider disbursing some of those surplus funds to AwkwardSD, kthx <3
Vote Malia M. Cohen for Controller.
Treasurer
Some of the responsibilities of the Treasurer are providing financing for schools, roads, housing, levees, public health facilities. Fiona Ma has been doing it since 2019, and before that, she was a member of the State Board of Equalization, so there’s no reason to doubt her experience. Plus, she’s endorsed by the California Teachers Association—and if they think her work for public schools is fine, then so do I.
Vote Fiona Ma for Treasurer.
Attorney General
California’s Attorney General race is an interesting one. On one hand, you have Rob Bonta, the state’s first Filipino AG who was elevated to the position by Newsom after Biden appointed CA’s previous AG—Xavier Becerra—to Secretary of Health and Human Services. By all accounts, Bonta has done a good job, and his support for reduced sentencing is what we need to move away from a carceral-obsessed society. However, don’t sleep on Anne Marie Schubert, an openly gay former GOP-er who left the party after she “got disgusted” with it. Schubert also led in tracking down The Golden State Killer, and that kind of tenacity is pretty badass. Ultimately, I’m leaning toward Bonta, but it will be an exciting race if these two face-off in November.
Vote Rob Bonta for Attorney General.
Insurance Commissioner
The state’s Insurance Commissioner investigates fraud, enforces insurance laws and licenses, and regulates companies. Pretty sure this is the same job that Edward Norton’s character in Fight Club does, but on a bigger scale. Again, these commissioner races aren’t super exciting, but considering the fact that incumbent Ricardo Lara has been caught twice engaging in unethical behavior, maybe it’s time for someone who’s not corrupt.
Vote Marc Levine for Insurance Commissioner.
Member, State Board of Equalization 4th District
Ehhhh who fucking cares. Nobody pays attention to the BOE anyway (I mean, unless the Private Railroad Car Tax is an issue close to your heart). It shouldn’t even be a position. Mike Schaeffer is the current member, but he has a long (too long, imo) political past that’s checkered with offenses. Give someone new a chance.
Vote David Dodson for State Board of Equalization 4th District
CONGRESS
Senator
It’s hard to find anything negative about Alex Padilla, and he pretty much has this race in the bag. Go give Padilla that W (as the kids would say).
Vote Alex Padilla for Senator.
Representatives
52nd District
Last Christmas, I got a disarmingly sweet Christmas card from Juan Vargas and his family! I was touched. Turns out, every constituent got the same card. Sad! Anyway, Vargas has been the representative of this district for almost 10 years, and his commitment to this area and its constituents is mostly admirable. Vargas’ flaw is that he’s long been in bed with the insurance agency, dating back to his days as a state representative. That said, Joaquín Vázquez gets my vote. The City Heights-raised community organizer prioritizes the Green New Deal and Medicare for All and possesses the vigor and energy that could make him a major force for change in Washington.
Vote Joaquín Vázquez for 52nd Congressional District.
51st District
Over the past two years, Sara Jacobs has done a very good job in Congress. And even though I still get a little irked that she got there largely because of the advantages given to her by her wealthy family, she’s proven to be a thoughtful and invaluable voice in national politics. There’s a part of me that would love to see someone as radical as the socialist Jose Cortes in Washington, but right now, as the Supreme Court is stripping away women’s rights, we need as many strong and sensible women in Congress as we can get
Vote Sara Jacobs for the 51st Congressional District
50th District
Scott Peters is the poster child for centrism, but has proven to stand up for what is right when the occasion arises.
Vote Scott Peters for the 50th Congressional District.
49th District
I’m convinced that Mike Levin is Southern California’s Toxic Crusader. But instead of a man who fell into radioactive waste that transformed him into an environmentally conscious crime-fighting mutant, Levin is just... well, a government official. But Levin is super dedicated to the environment, including finding solutions to the Tijuana River sewage problem, introducing bills to fund the protection of our coasts, and moving nuclear waste from the decommissioned San Onofre power plant to areas that, you know, aren’t surrounded by millions of people (which I guess actually does make him a toxic crusader).
Vote Mike Levin for the 49th Congressional District.
48th District
For this race, I’ll let my former CityBeat editor Seth Combs—who’s also a resident of this district—take the wheel:
There is plenty to dislike about Darrell Issa. The fact that he disingenuously “retired” from his congressional seat back in 2018 to save himself the embarrassment of losing to Mike Levin. The fact that he carpetbagged his way into another congressional seat, this time in a much more safe, red district after “Vaping” Duncan Hunter got shitcanned and thrown in jail for using his campaign funds on cigars, lavish vacations and, best of all, transporting pet bunnies on a plan in style. The support for Issa isn’t entirely confounding to me, however. I understand how someone in East and North County could simply see the (R) next to his name and think “that’s my guy.” And to be fair, he’s something of a brilliant politician. But in getting to know some of the people in what is now my congressional district, it’s become more clear to me that the one thing that unites myself and them (read: the folks who may have Thin Blue Line and Let’s Go Brandon flags hanging outside their home) is that we have a deep distrust of career politicians and corporate millionaires. Darrell Issa is both. At a net worth ranging somewhere between $750-$500 million, Issa knows nothing of the lives and tough financial decisions facing folks in the 48th.
All that being said, I think that Stephen Houlahan is the perfect candidate to run against Issa. Does he share my personal progressive values and someone whose political stances I fully endorse? Absolutely not. I think that the other two candidates in the race (Lucinda Jahn and especially Matthew Rascon) check more wishlist boxes for me. But in a year where House Democrats can’t afford to lose any seats, this could be the rare chance at a pickup to offset any national losses. Will it happen? Probably not. Not without some serious contemplative research by the voters in the 48th. I do think, however, that Houlahan’s stances on things such as immigration, environmentalism and his decidedly pro-military stances are in line with those who might otherwise instinctively vote for Issa. Yes, he’s a Democrat, but he’s that rare small-D Dem who checks enough boxes for rabid progressives like me and, more importantly, just might check enough boxes for small-R Republicans to flip the seat. As a registered nurse (read: not a multi-millionaire like Issa who’s never wanted for anything in his life), one immediately gets the sense that he truly cares about people, not millionaires and corporations.I believe that is something that most folks in the 48th can all agree on. I understand it’s a strategic vote, rather than a full-throated, whole-hearted endorsement, but I definitely plan on voting for Houlahan for my first time voting in the 48th.
Vote for Stephen Houlahan for the 48th Congressional District.
STATE ASSEMBLY
The best way to think about the state Assembly is that it’s ostensibly the House of Representatives for California. These are the people that are making laws for the state.
80th District
For San Diegans, the Assembly’s 80th District contest might be the most dramatic race on the ballot. But that’s not to say it’s the most exciting. The two candidates, David Alvarez and Georgette Gómez, both have respectable experience and name recognition, but there’s also an air of “them again?” to the whole thing. It’s a little like watching bands make great debut albums and then keep putting out lesser albums with diminishing returns. I very much respect both candidates’ grassroots backgrounds and engagement with their communities, but Alvarez’s effectiveness as a politician seems lukewarm; Gómez did a good job as City Council president, but also had the whole tax thing, which honestly doesn’t really bother me that much, but still—I prefer my lawmakers to be honest. I keep switching who I’m leaning toward, but I think Alvarez’s less problematic past gets my vote.
Vote David Alvarez for State Assembly 80th District.
79th District
Here’s an easy choice. Dr. Akilah Weber—the race’s only Democrat—believes in science. Her opponents, according to the Union-Tribune, are distrustful of vaccines and climate change deniers.
Vote Dr. Akilah Weber for State Assembly 79th District.
The next three are also easy. If you want to know the reasons, go back and look at what AWKSD wrote about them two years ago.
Vote Chris Ward for State Assembly 78th District.
Vote Tasha Boerner Horvath State Assembly 77th District.
Vote Brian Maienschein for State Assembly 76th District.
JUDICIAL
Honestly, I don’t know anything about judges, so I’m going to defer to Gil Cabrera, who’s worked as a progressive litigator in San Diego for over 20 years, served on San Diego’s Ethics Commission, and was recently appointed as Chair of the Airport Authority Board.
In a Facebook post, Cabrera wrote:
Vote Pennie McLaughlin for Superior Court Office 32.
Vote Rebecca Kanter for Superior Court Office 35.
Vote Peter Singer for Superior Court Office 36.
SCHOOL
State Superintendent of Public Education
As a non-parent, I’ve never had a real reason to care about education races before, but after a year spent teaching in a public school, my whole concept of what it means to be educated has changed. The simple fact is that Covid has fucked a whole generation of kids, and repairing the damage will take years. But the pandemic only accelerated what’s been bubbling under the surface for a long time: a divestment in public education. For a long time, the uniquely American ideal has been undermined at every turn—privatization, school vouchers, Betsy DeVos, standardized testing, No Child Left Behind, parents who think they know better than teachers and so many other factors have degraded our once-great institution. This is all to say, there’s no easy fix, and progress will take time. The State Superintendent of Public Education is an invaluable role that affects thousands—if not millions—of kids. For that reason, I’m siding with the California Teachers Association and recommending Tony Thurmond.
Vote Tony Thurmond for State Superintendent of Public Education.
For SDUSD school board, I’m going to just go with people who have worked in schools, which means:
Vote Shana Hazan for school board District B.
Vote Cody Petterson for school board District C.
COUNTY
Board of Supervisors District 4
Like Newsom, Nathan Fletcher kept people alive during the pandemic, and he continues to do so in the face of threats of violence and actual arson. That’s truly the bravery we need to face down the mentally unwell anti-maskers/Let Them Breathers/ReOpen California-ers.
Vote Nathan Fletcher for Board of Supervisors District 4.
Sheriff
Former Sheriff Bill Gore left a legacy of jail deaths and racial profiling. Whoever comes next has to do better. As a person who thinks law enforcement needs a major overhaul Dave Myers seems to be the most willing to make big changes and he wants to use data to get to the bottom of why so many people are dying in San Diego jails. He also has the support of Assemblywoman Dr. Akilah Weber, who, like her mom, is focused on police- and jail-reform bills.
And here’s Seth Combs’ take:
I’d echo these sentiments and, as someone who has been covering the ongoing issues in the Sheriff's Department, I trust her endorsement implicitly. It’s a little sad to me that a position this important is considered down-ballot and people often simply fill in the bubble of the person who has “San Diego County Sheriff” next to their name. As a (technically) non-partisan position, Gore still revealed himself to that law-and-order-type of sheriff that just didn’t care to correct his approach. Myers is a fantastic candidate and one of the few criticisms I’ve heard of him (the rather law enforcement propagandist message that he’s too “soft”) is exactly why I’m endorsing him. We need someone with a more tender and logical approach to law enforcement and after speaking with Myers a few times, I get the sense that he will, perhaps with some help from the County Board of Supervisors, at least attempt to begin the reforms that are so needed at that department. It’s going to be tough and I sometimes worry about officers falling in line behind him, but I hope he come in ready to clean up and clean house.
Vote Dave Myers for San Diego County Sheriff.
SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL
City Council positions are important—these are the folks who generally steer our city. It’s important to know which district you live in and who your council member is, because in most cases, they’re your most direct line to making political change in the community.
District 2
District 2—which covers Clairemont, Mission Beach and Point Loma—is home to one of the most frustratingly dumb issues in recent history, at least in my opinion: the fight over short-term vacation rentals. It might be reductive to label it NIMBYism vs. Big Tech, but it’s hard not to be cynical over the issue when so many in San Diego just need homes. District 2’s current Councilperson Jen Campbell came up with a compromise last year that left no one happy, so I’d be surprised if she was reelected.
The two leading candidates who are running to take her seat are Lori Saldaña and Joel Day. Saldaña has a lot of political experience and name recognition, but failed to warn San Diego of former Mayor Bob Filner’s predatory behavior, despite knowing about it.
Joel Day is a former Kevin Faulconer staffer, and was actually tapped to lead the city’s Covid response back in the early days of the pandemic. His answers to the Union-Tribune’s questions seem a little measured/restrained, but, again, I’m going to go with the candidate without the problematic past.
Vote Joel Day for City Council District 2
District 4
A couple of weeks ago, Montgomery Steppe, the incumbent, drew the ire of the powerful San Diego Police Officers Association for suggesting that more money should go to services that will help keep people from committing crimes (meaning less money for police). The POA was not pleased and launched an attack on Montgomery Steppe that shocked people by its aggressiveness. Montgomery Steppe didn’t back down, calling the police union’s attack “immature.” We like her style and hope she continues to hammer away at the biased over-policing her constituents have been subjected to.
Vote Monica Montgomery Steppe for City Council District 4.
District 6
Here’s Seth Combs again:
I definitely think this district seat should remain with an Asian-American. While I’ve never had any issues with Hough, when I interviewed him for CityBeat back in 2017 (we even put him on the cover because fuck Chris Cate), I was impressed with his candor and personable nature, but recall that he seemed to lack a sense of the issues that affect the AAPI community in the district. He’s been better this time around, making his support for the community known in a time when racism, prejudice and violence toward the AAPI community is at an all-time high. It’s also important to point out that the lines of this district have shifted a bit. If I’m correct, the district no longer includes all of the Clairemont neighborhood and a few of the more obscure SD suburbs are now part of D6. Honestly, my dream scenario here is that Hough and [Kent] Lee are the candidates on the ballot in November. I’d love to see that and would then feel truly confident in making a full endorsement, because, right now, I like them both for different reasons. One thing I can say is that I really hope people don’t vote for Jane Glasson. One need only look at her Q&A with the U-T to get a sense that she has no concrete stances on any issues affecting San Diego. Her answers come across like yeah, I don’t like that or yeah, I like that, but offers nothing substantive about what she’d do about it. Her main claim to fame is that she’s an anti-vaxxer and, let’s be frank here, that issue is so 2021. I think anyone who voted for Chris Cate in the past would find much more common ground with either Lee or Hough. So yeah, my endorsement is don’t vote for Jane Glasson.
Here’s Ryan Bradford:
I think Seth nailed it, but I’d like to add that I think Pac Arts Movement—of which Lee serves as Executive Director—is one of the best run and most admirable art nonprofits in San Diego. If Lee can channel that energy into a government position, then it’s a no-brainer. Plus, it would be very cool to get someone from the arts into the City Council.
Vote Kent Lee or Tommy Hough for City Council District 6.
District 8
Vivian Moreno is great. She's got a great track record — she can always be counted on to vote the right way and stand up for people of color.
Just look at Moreno’s interview with the Union-Tribune, which is chock full of concrete answers and action plans, as well as dissatisfaction with the status quo. Keep Moreno in.
Vote Vivan Moreno for City Council District 8.
EPILOGUE
Also, La Mesa isn’t in my jurisdiction, but vote for Matt Strabone for La Mesa City Treasurer. Strabone has contributed his political insights to both San Diego CityBeat and this newsletter, and his expertise is always sage and invaluable. Plus, he emphasizes integrity and compassion in all that he does—and our current political climate, that (sadly) feels like an act of courage.
Vote Matt Strabone for La Mesa City Treasurer.
AWKSD GUEST LIST
The Guest List gives AWKSD subscribers the opportunity to see live music for free. Just reply to this email and let me know which show you want to see, and I’ll hook you and a friend up.
Thursday, May 26
Crimson Riot, Celebrity Stalker, A-Bortz, Punchcard @ Til-Two Club: Hell yeah, pop-punk that sounds straight out of 1999! Crimson Riot would’ve been the perfect soundtrack to those Friday nights my one (1) friend and I spent playing Goldeneye and Mario Kart during freshman year.
Friday, May 27
Hot Rod Circuit, Taken Days @ Soda Bar: Oof, what is this, nostalgia week for Ryan Bradford? I’m thankful that I grew up during that pivotal, early ‘00s emo craze when we all just felt things, like, really hard. Kids these days just don’t [hair swoop] understand.
Monday, May 30
Bongzilla, 16, Bluntsplitter @ Brick By Brick: I’ve come to the conclusion that the more weed-oriented and silly the name of a stoner doom metal band is, the harder they rule. Bongzilla is no exception.
Got a tip or wanna say hi? Email me at ryancraigbradford@gmail.com, or follow me on Twitter @theryanbradford. And if you like what you’ve just read, please hit that little heart icon at the end of the post.