Filner Campaign Brings in the Big Guns

The alarm has sounded in the San Diego mayoral race’s sleepiest campaign.

Democratic Rep. Bob Filner held a rally Wednesday with several prominent local and state Democrats, including Democratic Lt. Gov. and former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Filner raised significantly less than his opponents, with just over $200,000 since the filing period that ended in March. Frontrunner Republican Councilman Carl DeMaio raised more than $1.2 million in the same period. The most recent campaign finance report has not yet been released.

Filner did receive a hefty donation of $12,500 from San Diego County Democratic Party, filed Wednesday on the city clerk’s website.

In the most recent polls, he’s tied for second with Independent Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, who appears to be gaining in a race previously thought to be a two-party battle.

Asked about being a campaign “slacker” at a recent NBC 7 San Diego mayoral debate, Filner responded that his team has merely campaigned in a way that costs less money.

I’ve won 25 elections in San Diego. Republican candidates have lots of money,” he responded. “I’m just a poor Democrat and I don’t have all that money to spend.”

Newsom came to endorse Filner at Wednesday’s rally.

"I'm excited about the prospect of having a Democratic Mayor in San Diego who will show real leadership,” Newsom said in a statement beforehand. “With Bob Filner in City Hall I know we can do great things together in San Diego and throughout California."