SUPERVISOR DESMOND RUNS FOR CONGRESS; MULTIPLE CANDIDATES TAKE AIM AT HIS SEAT

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  5^th Supervisorial district candidates Kyle Krahel, John Franklin and Rebeca Jones.

July 27, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego’s 5^th Supervisorial district will soon have a new representative.  Supervisor Jim Desmond, a conservative Republican, has announced plans to run for the 49^th Congressional district . The 49^th District, currently represented by Congressman Mike Levin, a Democrat, is a coastal enclave that includes Oceanside, Camp Pendleton and San Clemente.  

Several candidates, all from North County, have announced their intent to run for the Supervisor seat to represent district 5, a vast tract across northern San Diego that extends from the coast in Oceanside to desert communities including Borrego Springs, Ocotillo Wells, and Agua Caliente. It encompasses Escondido,  Palomar  Mountain, a half dozen tribal reservations, inland and mountain communities such as Valley Center,  Warner Springs and Santa Ysabel, and more. 

Kyle Krahel, Chairman of the San Diego County Democratic Party, announced this week that he is stepping down from that role to launch a campaign for the nonpartisan 5^th Supervisorial District, Times of San Diego reports. Krahel also serves as Deputy Chief of Staff and District Director for Congressman Mike Levin.

He lives in Oceanside, graduated high school as valedictorian, earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University, and served as a planning commissioner in Oceanside, per his campaign biography.

On his campaign website, Krahel states, “I'm running for Supervisor because every family deserves a future they can afford. That means safe neighborhoods, reliable transit, clean air, and a roof over their heads. I’m running for Supervisor to fight for bold climate action, reliable and resilient infrastructure, and housing policies that put working people first.”

Two North County Mayors, both Republicans, are also vying for the Supervisorial position, Coast News reports. Vista Mayor John Franklin and San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones. Both have praised Desmond’s representation on the Board of Supervisors.

Franklin, who served on the Vista City Council before becoming Mayor, wants to prioritize a return to law and order, fiscal responsibility and better mental health and addiction resources, particularly for those who are homeless.  His endorsements include Congressman Darrell Issa and former Supervisor Dianne Jacob, according to his campaign website.

He wants to spend more money on law enforcement and jail more people for misdemeanor crimes. ““The criminal justice experiment needs to come to an end… We’ve got to fight for the restoration of law and order,” he said, according to Coast News.

Jones has served on the San Marcos City Council before becoming Mayor.  She wants to advocate for affordable housing to prevent homeless, and touts her record in San Marcos on this issue.  She pledged fiscal responsibility to prevent waste of taxpayer funds.  She also wants to streamline mental health services and calls for better coordination between law enforcement agencies, particularly during emergencies such as wildfires and floods.

“I’ve made public safety the cornerstone of my leadership. Under my watch, San Marcos achieved the lowest crime rate in our city’s 63-year history, ranked in the Top 15 safest cities in California, and one of America's safest college towns,” she states on her campaign website.