ANDERSON WITHDRAWS FROM SUPERVISOR RACE

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By Miriam Raftery

February 21, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – State Senator Joel Anderson has announced that he is withdrawing from his race to unseat Supervisor Dianne Jacob.  Anderson indicated that he will instead file to run the 2nd Supervisorial District in 2020, when it will be an open seat due to term limits.

Anderson, a Republican, made the announcement Friday at a Lincoln Club meeting.  He later issued an official statement thanking his supporters.  “After many discussions, it’s become apparent that moving forward in this race for Supervisor would potentially jeopardize other East County races’ resources, and I wanted you to be among the first to know that I have decided to withdraw from the 2016 race,” Senator Anderson said.

While voicing disappointment at the decision, he added, “The effort to make our vision a reality will continue. I believe our County has enormous potential, and I want to ensure that it’s a place where our kids and grandkids can live and work.”

Voice of San Diego reports that Anderson can start his 2020 campaign with a substantial war chest. That’s because he announced his entry into the 2016 race just one day before Supervisors passed a campaign finance limitation that restricts Supervisorial candidates to just $25,000 in donations from political parties.

Anderson took $200,000 from the San Diego Republican Party for this year’s race.  Voice of San Diego reports that legally, he can transfer that money to another campaign account. So due to a loophole in the state’s campaign finance law, he can start his 2020 campaign with that $200,000 in party money, while anyone who runs against him will be bound by the $25,000 limit.  

Anderson’s withdrawal narrows the race to a two-man field, with Democrat Rudy Reyes the remaining challenger to Supervisor Jacob, who has served six terms spanning nearly a quarter century.

Supervisor Jacob called the announcement “a victory for my constituents and all the people who have worked so hard over the last year to build a strong campaign.” But she added, “It’s not over until June, so I will continue to build support over the next few months. I look forward to serving taxpayers and my communities.”

 

 


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