Political consultant Laura Fink spoke to NBC 7 San Diego on Election Day, sharing her thoughts on the campaign, the risk she took coming forward as one of the first women to accuse former mayor Bob Filner of sexual harassment and the impact she hopes she has on other women's lives.
NBC 7 caught up with Fink at her office in Banker's Hill around 2 p.m. Tuesday as voters were headed to the polls for a mayoral mulligan.
Fink came forward in the midst of the Bob Filner scandal with a detailed account of the harassment and documented proof in the form of an email that described the incident.
"I would do it again in a heartbeat," Fink said of coming forward. "And I think that's largely because I tend to focus on the support I received rather than the detractors who dogged me ... I have to say that I hope it gives a little bit of inspiration to folks who don't think their voice is going to make a difference."
Fink predicted Councilman David Alvarez and former Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher in a "dog fight" for second place. She said there would be no clear winner until very late Tuesday night and whoever won would do so just by "a nose."
About the progressive movement, she said:
"I do think there was some disappointment, obviously, in the mayor doing what he did. However, we have a second chance and I think there's new energy around that and you see it in the campaigns. We have three front-runners - two of whom will come out of today. And I think folks are re-energized and pragmatic enough to know that we've got to keep going."
Looking ahead to the probable runoff, she said no matter who receives the first and second slot, the candidates' character will continue to be a focal point of the campaigns.
"By 10 percentage points, 'integrity' has been listed as the number one quality that people are looking for in their next mayor. This is going to define the race now, and it's going to define the race when we have a runoff as I anticipate we will."
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