Jim Bell Joins District 2 San Diego City Council Race While Zapf Maintains Lead in Fundraising

Here’s a Run Down of the Candidates for D2

Long-time OBcean Jim Bell publicly announced his candidacy for the District 2 City Council race at the OB Town Council meeting Wednesday, August 23rd.

Jim, a veteran of prior council primaries, is a well-known environmental figure about town, and usually runs in the Green Party. Just for starters, he helped design the building’s architecture for OB People’s Co-op Market.

Bell joins a race that’s getting somewhat crowded on the non-Republican side of the fence – but a race where the incumbent, Lorie Zapf – the Republican – holds a substantial fundraising lead over her opponents.

City Council races are supposed to be non-partisan, but that’s a clever joke on the novice, as the two major parties are tremendous sources of treasures, and getting your party’s endorsement is a really, really big deal.

Jim Bell

And having the largest campaign treasure chest is no guarantee of final victory. Just ask the candidates who lost to City Attorney Mara Elliott.

With no disrespect meant for anyone, Zapf is still not challenged by any big-name Democrat.

Besides Jim Bell, here are the other announced candidates for District 2 and their campaign fundraising disclosures:

Jordan Beane

Jordan Beane – a director on the Pacific Beach Town Council, Beane, rather new to San Diego politics, is active in Democratic Party circles; when the Chargers were in town, he co-hosted their in-house show, Chargers.com. Times of San Diego. Beane regularly shows up at OBTC meetings so he’s current on local issues. Here’s his facebook.

Raised just under $15,000.

Jim Bell – no fundraising report.

Bryan Pease – an environmental lawyer and political activist; here’s what we said back in March:

Bryan Pease

Pease is well-known in activist circles for his animal rights work, particularly around the harbor seals in La Jolla; President of the Animal Protection and Rescue League, he once ran a shop on Newport Avenue whose profits were funneled into that group.  He has served as a board member of the OB People’s Market, and is an elected member of the San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee. Fox5

… He told the press that his priorities include “environmental protection, ending chronic homeless, increasing housing affordability and public safety.” Pease has run in a number of local elections, including most recently the San Diego City Attorney’s race – he didn’t make it past the Primary.  By our count, this would be his third attempt to run for a City Council seat.

Raised just under $12,000.

Daniel Smiechowski

Daniel Smiechowski – a Clairemont community volunteer; Democrat and self-described “Centrist”, Smiechowski gets a kick out of attending and introducing himself at Ocean Beach community meetings; he works in real estate and likes to say: “I’ve been in this district for 50 years.” Here’s what we reported in March:

He told the press that he supports San Diego being a “sanctuary city” and backs short-term vacation rentals. [Although he may have changed his position after attending OBPB meetings] “We don’t want development that isn’t smart development,” Smiechowski has said. “We want development that benefits the community, in affordable housing and housing the homeless.”

No fundraising report.

Joshua Tomolak

Joshua Tomolak – a financial worker, gun rights activist and Libertarian. He says he’s dedicated to bringing fiscal responsibility, common sense solutions and limited government to San Diego. Here is how he describes himself on his facebook page:

My name is Joshua Tomolak. I come from a middle class family raised in the suburbia of Michigan. I was brought to San Diego after joining the U.S Navy Special Operation Navy Divers. I have Served and Protected the beautiful harbors and coastlines of San Diego for 4 years. I now ask for the privilege to protect San Diego from inside City Hall. Its time for Bold Agendas, New Ideas and representation that will bring Strength to San Diego!

Councilwoman Lorie Zapf

Raised $2,100.

In contrast with all her opponents, Zapf has raised $130,000.

Other Democratic Party candidates who could possibly join the race are Ed Harris and Susan Guinn.

Ed Harris lost in his late blooming bid for the mayor’s seat in 2016, and he once sat in the District 2 seat on the City Council for a period – appointed by the Democratic Council majority to

Ed Harris

play out Kevin Faulconer’s term representing the district. Currently, he is the head of the San Diego Lifeguards union. So far, he has been reluctant to toss his headgear into the ring, as he cites family as the reason he wants to stay out of partisan wrangling.  Still, of all the possible and announced candidates, he has the most name recognition and has – in fact – lots of fans in the beaches.

Susan Guinn is a Democrat and former candidate for county assessor, has been approached to join the race but as of mid-August told the press she is not a candidate for D2.