David Beat Goliath in San Diego

[Addison]

Jim Miller, San Diego Free Press

Last Tuesday, fortune favored the bold. David Alvarez defied the pundits and political insiders and beat the prohibitive favorite, Nathan Fletcher, in the race to face Kevin Faulconer in the run-off to be San Diego’s next mayor. This was a seminal moment for San Diego—perhaps the biggest political upset in history of the city.

It just wasn’t supposed to happen. Guys like this aren’t supposed to have a chance. Nobody knew who he was, the favored one had already been chosen, and all the experts thought he couldn’t win. He had powerful party insiders opposing him, the Governor of California campaigned against him, Sacramento politicians came out of the woodwork to support his opponent, and he was down near the single digits in the polls.

Everybody knew it was a crazy to run a little-known Latino councilman from South of 8 in a low turnout special election against a well-funded, favored son of the local establishment. It wasn’t his turn. The deck was stacked against him. Only folks who’d lost their minds would support him.

Then he won. David beat Goliath.

. . .

http://sandiegofreepress.org/2013/11/redemption-time-alvarez-beats-the-odds-and-keeps-hope-alive/

(cross-posted in California forum)

[lunasun]

1. yes keeps hope alive

[Joanie Baloney]

2. It may have been crazy...

but I think Alvarez was exactly the RIGHT person running at exactly the right time. Falcouner, Fletcher and Aguirre were all seen to have the stink of "the same old song" on them and although Alvarez is on the City Council, there was no doubt he was the underdog and San Diego responded. I voted for him (as did my SO) and now we really have to hope the 'silent Latino bloc' comes out for the run-off election.

As the author writes:

But no matter how hard they try, they can’t change the fact that it’s not their San Diego anymore. Our city is move diverse, democratic, and less inclined to believe that Republicans in sheep’s clothing have their interests in mind.

Awesome!!