Fletcher Gains Endorsements, Alvarez Joins Mayoral Race

San Diego City Councilmember David Alvarez is running for mayor.

The councilman from District 8 is known to be pro-labor union. The San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council votes to endorse a candidate on Friday.

Alvarez tweeted his intent to run in the November special election on Thursday morning.

Alvarez, who grew up in Barrio Logan, was the first in his family to graduate from high school and college, according to his website. He also graduated with honors from San Diego State University. Alvarez, his wife Xochitl, and their daughter Izel reside in Logan Heights.

Alvarez joins 21 other candidates in the quest to be San Diego's next mayor.

Meantime, Democrat Nathan Fletcher received endorsements today from some of the regions top Latino leaders.

"I think that what we have here is a person who can bring us all together; someone who really has love for this city and a love for all the communities in this city," said U.S. Rep Juan Vargas (D-San Diego).

Others supporting Fletcher at a news conference Thursday included state Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, Southwestern College trustee Humberto Peraza, Escondido Councilmember Olga Diaz, and Sweetwater Authority Chair Jose Preciado. Chula Vista Councilwoman Mary Salas was scheduled to attend the news conference, but was not present. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}

Gonzalez described going to Fletcher for help with a janitor's strike during the 2012 primary campaign when the Labor Council she helmed had already endorsed former Mayor Bob Filner.   

"When I called him and explained the situation that we were in and the families that would be affected by this contract, and how people's healthcare and their children's healthcare were dependent on this being settled in a positive way, he said 'How can I help?' And he did," Gonzalez said. "A week before the primary election, he worked hard at helping us settle a contentious contract. And he knew he was going to get nothing out of it." 

Gonzalez said she believes Fletcher does have a proven track record of helping Latino communities. 

When asked what in his voting record helped Latinos, Fletcher pointed to his recent involvement in the San Diegans United for Comprehensive Immigration Reform effort; his vote during his time in the Assembly for legislation that ensured DUI checkpoints weren't immigration enforcement checkpoints, and said he's a longtime supporter of the DREAM act.

Looking ahead, Fletcher pinpointed emergency response times as an area that needs improvement.

"The simple reality is that today, if you're in a Latino community, the response times are longer," he said. "That's not right."

Meantime, Mickey Kasparian, president of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Coucil, seemed confident in the process involved in securing the Labor Council endorsement.

"Lorena is not part of the Labor Council anymore," he said. "She's entitled to endorse any candidate she wants. But, her endorsement today will have no affect on what the Labor Council decides in our endorsement process tomorrow."

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