There are 435 Congressional races in play this month, and of those, national Democrats have targeted twenty-five races which they believe a Democratic challenger will unseat the Republican incumbent. Here in San Diego, one of those races is ranked among the top 5 in the country and it will be decided by independent voters like you.

The most recent polling in the race for the newly drawn 52^nd District shows candidates Brian Bilbray and Scott Peters in a dead heat, in a race that breaks down largely along party lines. But because the voter registration in this newly drawn Congressional district breaks down about 1/3 Repbulican, 1/3 Democrat, and 1/3 Decline to State, neither candidate will win by earning votes solely from within his own party.

Both candidates, have been courting voters from outside of their political parties, but only one has endorsements from high profile Democrats, Republicans and independents like Nathan Fletcher and former State Senator Lucy Killea.

To jump start our economy, Peters proposes investments in infrastructure, higher education and scientific research. By rebuilding failing roads and bridges or creating a national system of Ports, we could put Americans to work today. Rather than cutting federal funds for student loans we should be ensuring that every student who qualifies for college should have the chance to go; that’s the only way America can compete in a brain-powered economy. Finally, 42,000 people are employed in scientific research in San Diego, and much of this is funded by the National Institutes for Health. The Ryan budget would cut NIH funds by $290 million. Scott opposes these cuts and would make NIH funding a priority.

We can make these investments by finding smart spending reductions. In fact the General Accounting Office has identified 51 ways efficiencies can be improved in federal programs which , and by ending subsidies to oil companies that have never been more profitable

Scott Peters is in his fourth year as a Port Commissioner, having served as Chairman last year.  He was the first Democrat elected to the San Diego City Council from the First Council District, which includes the communities of La Jolla, University City, Carmel Valley and Rancho Peñasquitos. He was also our San Diego’s first City Council President, from 2006 through 2008.  Before elected office, Scott practiced environmental law for fifteen years.

Scott has a reputation as someone who can work across party lines to get things done. He counts among his accomplishments on the City Council: helping to lead the creation of a new Council/Mayor form of government with an independent budget review function and creating the City’ first independent auditor. He worked to complete over $2 billion in downtown redevelopment including a new major league ballpark (Petco) that generated more than 19,000 jobs; to reduce sewer spills and beach closure days by 80%; to reconstruct the Torrey Pines South municipal golf course to host the 2008 United States Open Championship; and to set new standards for energy and water conservation in new development. He also and completed major district infrastructure, including Highway 56, the North Torrey Pines Bridge, utility line under grounding, and built new police and fire stations, libraries and dozens of new parks.

As Chairman of the Port, Scott worked to restructure the organization by eliminating excess management and trimming the workforce by fifteen percent, all without layoffs or litigation. He secured unanimous support from all five Port cities to help expand the Convention Center, which will create 7,000 permanent new jobs, and to remake our waterfront into one of the world’s greatest. And, he led the effort to jump start the rejuvenation of the San Diego waterfront by beginning construction on the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan, which sat idle for fifteen years.

Scott is running because he believes Congress could use someone with his consensus-building style and skills.

Scott has been endorsed by President Bill Clinton and almost every local Democrat, independents like Nathan Fletcher, three Republican former Chairmen of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as all seven of the district’s community papers that have endorsed, from Ocean Beach to Rancho Bernardo.

If you want more information or have additional questions, please visit our website at www.scottpeters.comor call our office at 858-715-1369.

Thank you.