Bob Filner is the new Mayor of San Diego
Bob Filner will defeat Carl DeMaio when final votes are tabulated. The Democrat gained on DeMaio's early lead steadily as the counting wove into the early morning hours. Official counting will likely go on for days. But, Democrats typically dominate the count in so called "provisional" ballots and "day of election" absentee ballot turn ins which will be the bulk of what is left. Filner will likely finish with between 51% and 52% of the vote.
The heated campaign between two polarizing figures who launched attacks through the airwaves and at debates has come to close.
Current Mayor Jerry Sanders will be succeeded by Bob Filner in the beginning of December. Mayor Sanders is being term-limited having served two terms in office.
Filner will be the second mayor under the "strong mayor" system, which was implemented in 2010 by voters. The relatively new system of city government works similar to the federal government. The mayor acts as an executive and the city council acts as a legislature. In September of this year, city council president Tony Young outlined provisions for better cooperation between the mayor and city council.
Congressman Bob Filner has spent 42 years in San Diego. In 1979, he was elected to the San Diego Unified school board and served as its president. In 1987, he was elected to the San Diego City Council. In 1992, Bob Filner was elected to U.S. Congress and served 10 two-year terms.
Congressman Filner is credited with chairing the Veterans' Affairs Committee and increasing the amount of benefits veterans receive. He also authored the 21st century G.I. Bill giving better access to college for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
The most prominent issues facing the city of San Diego are pension reform, convention center expansion, and creating local jobs. We will see how the city will handle Proposition B and cutting regulations/decisions to expand the San Diego port.