Two of the brightest young lights in the San Diego political sky -- Democrat Bryan Crane and Republican Andrew Lund -- are weighing in every other week on hot topics.
This week's topic: Who would you like to see as the next mayor of San Diego? Bonnie Dumanis? Kevin Faulconer? Steve Francis? Tony Young? Somebody else? -- Ed.
Lund's Punch: There will be quite a list of possible candidates for mayor in 2012. I think Bonnie Dumanis has a great track record of success here in San Diego. Through her work as district attorney, her office has obtained a 94 percent conviction rating and has helped pass Jessica's Law to protect our children. She would definitely make a great choice for mayor.
I also believe Councilmen Kevin Faulconer and Carl DeMaio would also make great candidates. Faulconer has supported protecting Mission Bay as well as helping to restore San Diego's beleaguered credit rating.
DeMaio has been the taxpayer watchdog for many years prior to his time on the council. On the council, he has reached across the aisle to Donna Frye to craft some managed competition and budget reforms.
Crane's Punch: If she decides to run, Sen. Christine Kehoe will be the next mayor of San Diego, and the city will be better for it.
Senator Kehoe has more experience than any other candidate mentioned, having served on the San Diego City Council and represented most of the city in the Assembly and now in the state Senate. When she served on the City Council, Kehoe helped the city bounce back from a recession and led the economic revitalization of neighborhoods like Hillcrest, North Park, and City Heights.
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Kehoe's commitment to education, environmental issues and public safety are well demonstrated. Finally, and importantly, her long cultivated network of local and statewide backers gives her the financial and tactical strength to win. The city of San Diego needs her strength and experience now more than ever.
Lund's Counterpunch: While Senator Kehoe has served San Diego for many years, her time in the state legislature has made her more partisan. San Diego has historically been a conservative county, and the last few mayors have been Republican. The senator will need to convince San Diegans that her 12 years in state government have not clouded her judgment with respect to reforming the city’s pension and budget systems.
Crane's Counterpunch: I would worry about our city under each. DeMaio is too extreme. Falconer is quick to turn 180 degrees on his campaign promises and brings narrow experience. Dumanis is certainly a competent attorney, but so was Dick Murphy, and one needs more than just courtroom skills to lead a city.
San Diego would best be served by Christine Kehoe's 17 years of broad experience.
Bryan Crane, who is the president of the San Diego County Young Democrats, earned his PhD at MIT in 2005, works at San Diego biotech Illumina and admits to being unable to run in flip-flops.
Andrew Lund is the current president of the San Diego Young Republicans.
