Montgomery Steppe endorses Jones-Wright for mayor

Between the lines: The effect of the endorsement — delivered three weeks after voting began — is unclear, but the statement it delivers against the incumbent mayor isn't: Gloria has the support of every other Democrat on the City Council, the county Board of Supervisors, and the Democrats in San Diego's delegations to Congress, the state Assembly and the state Senate.

Friction point: Montgomery Steppe worked in Gloria's office in 2013, when he was interim mayor, but as a councilmember she voted against major mayoral initiatives last year like police surveillance, a homeless encampment ban and housing development reforms.

• She won a special election to the county Board of Supervisors last November, representing southeastern San Diego, which was battered by historic flooding on Jan. 22.

Flashback: Montgomery Steppe and Jones-Wright have been close friends and political allies for years, predating Jones-Wright's criminal justice-focused run for district attorney in 2018, when she was a public defender.

What she's saying: "San Diego deserves a leader who prioritizes the People over power… (and Geneviéve's) experience advocating for justice and her commitment to community empowerment embodies the values our city needs in its mayor," Montgomery Steppe said in a release.

What's next: Montgomery Steppe's vacant seat is also on the primary ballot — with her former chief of staff, Henry L. Foster III, facing Gloria staffer Chida Warren-Darby.