Labor Council and county workers back Aguirre in supervisor special election
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Two influential labor groups this week backed Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre's special election bid for the County Board of Supervisors.
Why it matters: The decisions — along with a construction union's decision last week to back San Diego Councilmember Vivian Moreno — set the stage for a bruising contest on the left ahead of the April primary.
State of play: Wednesday night, the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, a collective of regional unions, endorsed Aguirre, a day after SEIU Local 221, which represents 10,000 county workers, did the same.
What they're saying: Brigette Browning, leader of the Labor Council, recalled asking elected officials to write to the Port of San Diego in support of a push to retain workers during the pandemic — Aguirre instead showed up in person.
- "She goes the extra mile to support workers in a way that is not common among electeds," Browning said. "She had done that for so many unions, that we felt we should stand with her."
Last week, Moreno secured the backing of the well-heeled LiUNA Local 89, a construction workers' union that cited her support for pro-housing policy as key to its decision.
- Chula Vista Councilmember Carolina Chavez, a Democrat, is also running, as is Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, the lone Republican.
Between the lines: Disagreements among labor groups are not uncommon, particularly during primaries in which multiple Democrats face off before a presumed runoff against a Republican.
How it works: The top two vote-getters will advance to a July runoff, unless one candidate surpasses 50% support.
- That gives McCann, with his monopoly on the right, an edge to advance, even though registered Democrats more than double Republicans in the district.
- The special election is filling the seat left by former Supervisor Nora Vargas' decision not to begin the term she won in November.
What's next: Right-leaning groups like the Building Industry Association and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and another large county union, UDW, have not endorsed yet.
- Neither has the county Democratic Party, where one of three Democrats will need at least 60% support from the central committee to get its backing.
The bottom line: "I think once we get through this, we will have a better representative than we had before," Browning said.
- "Turnout is going to be very low. It's the most dense supervisorial district among union members — we intend to have a communication program to make sure they vote for Paloma."