It's "game on" in the San Diego mayoral race.
Incumbent Kevin Faulconer is now targeted by a former state lawmaker who publicly announced her candidacy on Thursday.
Does Lori Saldana stand a real chance of winning this game?
Veterans political observers say "no way".
But the point is, her challenge gives San Diegans a sharp political dialogue to make judgments from.
Saldana is a Democrat, elected three times to the State Assembly.
She launched her campaign by bringing up Faulconer's expected candidacy for higher office two years from now.
"I keep my eyes on the prize, which is this city, my hometown,” Saldana said at a morning conference near the Old Town Transit Center. “Mr. Faulconer's eyes, I believe, are on another prize. He's becoming the Dean Spanos of San Diego government. He will up and move his franchise to a bigger media market as soon as the opportunity arises."
Saldana took issue with Faulconer's handling of the Chargers stadium situation.
Says she'd rather find a team willing to invest in the city.
And that Faulconer was wrong to veto the minimum wage ordinance, which is now on the June ballot.
Saldana touted her six years of experience in the state legislature in Sacramento fighting for laws benefitting the military, veterans, and environmental causes.
For his part, the incumbent mayor isn't blinking or sweating over the race.
"I'm very proud of what we've been able to do as a city over the last year and a half,” Faulconer told a scrum of reporters at the Torrey Pines golf complex, site of this week’s Farmer’s Insurance Open.
Local
“You know, I've really focused on bringing people together,” he continued. “It's not about partisanship, it's about getting results. I'm very proud of our record. I'm very proud of what we're doing with the City Council, and moving forward."
Faulconer hadn’t been apprised of the “Dean Spanos” quote at the time – and his political strategist, Jason Roe, merely smiled at the reference when asked about it later.
“I don’t even know what that means,” Roe said, obviously not taking the bait to mix it up on that venue.
Meantime, political observers wonder how much voter appeal and major backing Saldana will have.
"Maybe she'll have the Dems and organized labor involved at some point,” says Liam Dillon, assistant editor of NBC 7 media partner Voice of San Diego. “But it's tough for me to see that they're going to throw at a candidate that has not proven that they have any chance of winning."
Saldana isn't much of a "household name” citywide.
But voters interviewed Thursday by NBC 7 seemed intrigued by the prospect of a race involving a politically experienced challenger.
And there was a general consensus along the lines voice by Little Italy resident Caitlyn Forbes: "I think it's nice to have an option, especially when it comes to politics -- it's so important nowadays. I think it's nice to have the consideration."
Saldana is the last of five candidates, so far, to "pull papers" for the mayoral race, last week.
Faulconer filed his papers nearly a year ago.
The other three are more or less political unknowns -- although one did receive 15 votes as a write-in back in the 2012 mayoral primary election.
