This is a brief summary of David Garrick’s piece at The San Diego Union-Tribune, published May 26-27, 2026, entitled “Here’s who’s drawing the most money in San Diego City Council races”. Our primary focus is on District 2, and Garrick’s review was primarily on the candidates drawing the most money.
Josh Coyne
Josh Coyne — who’s a Democrat (as are all the D2 candidates except Bailey) has been receiving strong financial support — “more than $200,000 — from an independent committee led by Local 89 of the Laborers International Union of North America.”
In terms of positioning for a future campaign should he be one of the winners in the Primary, Coyne has “essentially nothing — he has $30,000 in cash on hand but a matching $30,000 in unpaid bills,” reports Garrick.
However, all the top Democrats in this race expect party and labor help for whichever of them wins in the Primary.
Nicole Crosby
Nicole Crosby, is also getting labor support, mainly from the largest labor union for city workers — the Municipal Employees Association — which has spent more than $50,000 on mailers supporting her … and opposing Richard Bailey. Crosby works for the city as a deputy city attorney.
Garrick writes: “Crosby is also getting support from the county Democratic Party, which endorsed her over Coyne and other Democrats in the seven-person race.”
Mandy Havlik
Garrick reports, “Mandy Havlik, another District 2 candidate, has $5,700,” stashed for any future post-Primary run.
[Mandy has been endorsed by the Point Loma — Ocean Beach Democratic Club, former councilmember Ed Harris, and by the OB Rag.]
Richard Bailey
Richard Bailey, formerly a Republican and now independent, has received “more than $400,000” … from “individual donors and a committee supported by local business, including the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce,” Garrick writes. He continues:
Bailey led all candidates citywide in direct campaign donations, raising nearly $30,000 during the [current reporting] period. …Bailey appears in strong shape should he make the November runoff in District 2, with $142,000 in his campaign war chest.
It’s not roses for Bailey as there is a “major push by labor unions against” him. In addition to the $50,000 from the MEA for Crosby and against Bailey, there’s another “nearly $100,000 amassed by a separate committee formed specifically to defeat Bailey, a former Republican who is seeking to join what is now an all-Democrat City Council.”
Chief donors to the anti-Bailey committee are the San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council and the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council.
It’s a fund to counter the $400,000 raised for Bailey from individual donors and that committee supported by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and local businesses.
Other D2 Candidates
None of the other candidates in the District 2 race — Paul Suppa, Michael Rickey and Jacob Mitchell — has more than $1,000.
Again, Garrick states, “…labor unions, the Democratic Party and other progressive groups are expected to coalesce behind a Democrat if Bailey makes the runoff.”
The top two finishers in San Diego City Council primaries advance to November runoffs even if one candidate gets more than 50% of the votes in the primary.
