Four out of every five dollars spent to support one of the leading candidates to fill disgraced San Diego mayor Bob Filner’s seat comes from organized labor. The U-T San Diego reports that approximately $2.7 million of Democratic councilman David Alvarez’s $3.3 million (82 percent) has come from unions.
Alvarez and his allies have tried to paint his opponent as being in the pocket of special-interest business groups. Kevin Faulconer, a Republican councilman, has raised 33 percent of his campaign funding from “business-oriented” PACs.
“Mr. Faulconer has stood up to advance the causes of the same special interests — the downtown lobbyists — that have run our city for decades,” Alvarez claimed. In total, Faulconer has $2.4 million on hand, less than what Alvarez has received from unions alone.
Even though Alvarez has the lead financially, Faulconer has the edge in the polls, with the most recent survey giving him a 53-37 lead over his opponent. The nonpartisan special election to replace Filner, who resigned last year amid an avalanche of sexual-harassment allegations, will take place February 11.