San Diego, Calif. - Gil Cabrera is one of five attorney’s running to replace Jan Goldsmith as the next city attorney for San Diego. Cabrera got an enormous boost in distancing himself from the pack with the endorsement of the San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board.

In coming to their conclusion, the board wrote, “We predict this race goes to a two-person November runoff election and believe it would be a boon for San Diego to have Cabrera and Hickey debate how best to protect San Diego. But we have high hopes for Cabrera based on his experience, intelligence and temperament. We endorse Gil Cabrera for city attorney.”

Cabrera took to Twitter after the endorsement noting he was “honored and humbled to receive the Editorial Board’s endorsement.”

https://twitter.com/GilCabrera/status/735834983286243328

Of Cabrera, the board also noted he has “earned a reputation as hard-working, thoughtful member of the convention center’s Board of Directors, on the city’s Ethics Commission and as the co-chair of the Police Department’s Use of Force Task Force, among other positions. He’s also an appointed pro-tem Superior Court judge, hearing traffic court and small-claims cases.”

One of the noticeable changes to the 2016 primary season in San Diego has been the departure of the U-T Editorial Board rubber stamping GOP candidate endorsements -- a hallmark of previous ownership groups. Now, under new and seemingly more balanced guidance, the board has taken arguably a more thoughtful approach to their critical endorsements.

Democrats Chris Ward, Barbara Bry, and now Gil Cabrera have all been given the thumbs up. Those endorsements balanced with the backing of Republican city councilmen Mark Kersey and Scott Sherman. The board seems to be focused now on the candidates, not the party with whom they are affiliated.

San Diego voters will get a chance to decide these candidates’ fates when the polls open June 7.

Photo Credit: Alex Gauthier / IVN.us