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East County News Service
April 6, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Democrat Rudy Reyes, a Cedar Fire burn survivor who has run for Supervisor in the past, advised ECM today that he is entering the race in the 2nd Supervisorial district. State Senator Joel Anderson, a Republican, has also announced plans to challenge incumbent Supervisor Dianne Jacob, a Republican who has held the seat for more than two decades.
A three-way race could make it difficult for any candidate to win outright with over 50% of the vote, making a run-off race between the two top vote getters more likely. There is still time for additional candidates to file to run.
If Jacob is reelected in 2016, this would be her final term of office due to term limits approved by voters. She has received over 200 endorsements including Sheriff Bill Gore, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, Supervisors Greg Cox and Ron Roberts, Congressman Darrell Issa, and dozens of elected officials in East County.
Anderson has long positioned himself as a tax fighter championing taxpayers, though Jacob backers also praise her record as a fiscal conservative. He previously served on the Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board before his election to the Legislature.
Anderson received endorsement of the San Diego County Republican Party. The County Republican Party is reportedly unhappy over Supervisors’ recent vote to limit campaign contributions by political parties to $25,000 in Supervisor races and $50,000 for countywide races such as district attorney
Reyes survived devastating burns during the Cedar Fire and has volunteered at the San Diego Burn Institute helping others. Named a hero of the Ctdar Fire by the Smithsonian Institute, he is also an archaeologist who helped establish the Barona Museum and Cultural Center.
His key issues in prior campaigns focused on improving fire safety and improving county access for medical marijuana patients. He was defeated by wide margins in all three prior matchups against Jacob, most recently in 2012, when Jacob won by a 78-22 percent margin.
Jacob has been named best legislator by the East County Californians for each of the past five years. She has led efforts to create a county fire department, improve oversight of senior care facilities, launch an Alzheimer’s research project, pass ordinances to enable growth of family-run agricultural and wine businesses, promote solar energy, support creation of new trails and parks, and maintain a balanced budget for county taxpayers.
Anderson has authored only a handful of measures while in Sacramento. Measures of his signed into law include legislation to assist home-schooled children in getting work permits, give disabled veterans free access to state parks, and require the Public Employees Retirement System to divest from investment in Iran.
Jacob has fought against big energy projects and industrial zoning in the backcountry and San Diego’s inland regions, from Sunrise Powerlink to the county’s wind energy ordinance.
Anderson refused to take stances on major energy projects such as Quail Brush, Tule Wind and Sunrise Powerlink despite numerous requests from constituents to do so. He recently sent a letter to Supervisors in support of Soitec's proposed solar projects in Boulevard, despite strong community opposition in Boulevard and a San Diego State hydrologist report indicating the projects could irreversibly damage the ecosystem by draining groundwater for construction beyond what can be replenished through rainfall.
Backers of Jacob suggested in a mailing to supporters that Anderson is in the race because his “only interests are advancing a political career and delivering for special interest supporters…” Anderson is the California representative for the American Legislative Exchange Council, which creates model legislation to advance corporate interests.
Anderson has been an effective money raiser for the Republican party but has drawn controversy over his own political contributions.
Anderson has received substantial campaign funding from Sempra Energy/SDG&E as well as Hamann Construction family members. In late 2009, Anderson was fined $20,000 by the Fair Political Practices Commission under a plea bargain arrangement for illegally funneling money from Sempra/SDG&E, Hamann Construction family members and others into his campaign through a Republican central committee in another county. The donations exceeded state limits for donors; Anderson returned contributions from Hamann, Sempra and others. Hamann owns part of the land slated for the controversial Tule Wind project and 765 acres of Soitec's Rugged Solar project, which Anderson supports. Anderson also leases his office space in a building owned by Hamann Companies.
The 2nd Supervisorial district is the largest countywide, including the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway and Santee as well as unincorporated areas of San Diego County.
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