By Mark Walker
Oct. 29, 2013
SAN DIEGO — Former San Diego City
Councilman and 2012 mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio has been endorsed by Rep.
Darrell Issa in the 2014 election for the 52nd Congressional District seat.
"In Congress, we need more
members who are committed to improving government transparency and
accountability, and I know that Carl DeMaio is the perfect person for the
position," Issa said in a prepared statement issued Tuesday.
DeMaio is one of three Republicans
running against freshman Democrat Scott Peters, who last year unseated longtime
GOP Rep. Brian Bilbray. The others are former U.S. Marine intelligence officer
and current Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Kirk Jorgensen and Coronado surgeon Fred
Simon, the latter a recent entry.
The largely coastal 52nd District is
viewed as a toss-up in 2014 based on near equal Democratic and Republican voter
registration and a large number of independent voters. The national Democratic
and Republican parties have each put the seat on their list of must-have gets
in 2014 and are expected to pour money and campaign resources into the race.
DeMaio was the first Republican to
announce against Peters and in addition to Issa has picked up the endorsements
of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy.
"I'm very appreciative of
Congressman Issa's endorsement," DeMaio said in a statement. "As
chair of the House Government Reform Committee, Darrell Issa knows we need to
see additional responsible and accountable leadership in the House, and I
intend to be that leader."
Jorgensen has been endorsed by former
longtime Rep. Duncan L. Hunter, father of the current 50th Congressional
District Rep. Duncan D. Hunter.
