Jen Campbell Picks Up an Endorsement from the Labor Council But Loses Another From the County Democratic Party

Both Saldaña and Day Claim Credit for Stalling Local Dems

The news from the Jen Campbell for re-election camp is mixed. Campbell did pick up the endorsement for District 2 from the San Diego Labor Council.

But she lost the endorsement from the San Diego County Democratic Party – which is huge. An incumbent Democrat not receiving the green light from the local party organization is a rare occurrence and reflects poorly with Campbell’s relationship with her own Democrats.

Of course, this refusal to endorse greatly helps her main challengers, Lori Saldaña, Joel Day, and Mandy Havlic.

Yet, the Labor Council endorsement is a mighty heft from organized labor. And is a key endorsement in San Diego.

However, it is no surprise as the head of the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council AFL-CIO is Brigette Browning, whom Campbell made a strategic alliance with to craft the controversial agreement with a billionaire dollar homeshare corporation over short-term vacation rentals (which goes before the Calif Coastal Commission next week, March 9). That agreement was one of the main reasons there was an insurgent recall campaign against Campbell last year.

Plus, Browning’s partner was hired by Campbell to be her attack dog during the recall and appears to be still on her payroll. He still calls those who initiated and supported the recall “extremists.”

Meanwhile, both Day and Saldaña take credit for stopping the rush by the local Dems to endorse Campbell.

Saldana’s campaign released this statement:

After weeks of coordination and organization between Democratic Club members, activists, and City Council candidate Lori Saldaña, Councilmember Jennifer Campbell failed to secure enough votes for a “friendly incumbent endorsement” at a San Diego County Democratic Party meeting on February 28. The vote was removed from the meeting agenda.

“The decision to withhold a vote confirmed what my volunteers and I often hear while walking in District 2 and talking with residents: There is deep dissatisfaction with the current Councilmember,” said the former Assemblymember. Saldaña represented the district while serving 6 years in the California legislature.

Saldaña is the only District 2 candidate who is a publicly elected member of the County Party’s Central Committee. While she wanted the people she represents to have a full discussion and transparency at last night’s meeting, she understands why so many members of the County Democratic Party have declined to support the incumbent.

“Even though 70 people attended last night’s endorsement meeting- including state and federal elected officials- the Councilmember did not have enough votes to receive the endorsement.”

And Day’s campaign released this statement:

Dr. Joel Day’s campaign succeeded in blocking the San Diego County Democratic Party endorsement of the incumbent City Councilmember for San Diego’s District 2. After considering the race at two separate meetings, the Party’s governing body decided to postpone endorsement until after the Primary Election, meaning no endorsement or ratings have been made in District 2 for the June election.

“I am grateful for the support of so many of the grassroots activists who work every day to further the values of the Democratic Party and make progress for our communities in San Diego,” said Day. “It speaks volumes that they see such a strong need for new leadership in District 2 that they wouldn’t support their own incumbent Councilmember. As they say, it takes more guts to stand up to your friends than your foes and I appreciate that so many are willing to do just that to bring a new vision to the City Council.”

Not endorsing an incumbent elected official is a rare move for the local Democratic Party, which has a history of consolidating around its elected Democrats.

“Democratic activists are running out of patience with the status quo that keeps kicking the can on critical issues,” said Eva Posner, Day’s campaign consultant. “Joel has a clear common-sense vision on housing, climate change, and systemic policy changes to support working families and vulnerable communities. People are hungry for that.”

The Primary Election is June 7, 2022, and the General election is November 8, 2022.