NATHAN FLETCHER TO RUN FOR STATE SENATE

By Miriam Raftery

February 12, 2023 (San Diego) – Former Chair of the San Diego County Supervisors Nathan Fletcher,  whose 4^th district includes portions of East County, has announced plans to run for the 39^th State Senate district seat. If successful, he would fill the legislative seat being vacated by political powerhouse Toni Atkins due to term limits.

“Working families are facing incredible economic challenges and need a fighter in Sacramento, from leading one of the most effective COVID responses in the nation to leading Marines in combat, I’ve never shied away from taking on the toughest fights,” says Fletcher, whose campaign announcement states that he’s running to deliver “higher wages, a lower cost of living, and a fundamentally fair shot at a better life that every San Diego County family deserves.”

Fletcher previously served in the state Assembly and is also a former combat Marine decorated for valor under enemy fire.  He founded a veterans’ foundation to help vets struggling with PTSD and waged a successful fight to gain citizens for some deported immigrant veterans.

While in the Assembly, Fletcher was best known for authoring Chelsea’s Law, a landmark measure named after murdered local teen Chelsea King. The law implemented measures to protect children from sexually violent crimes. In the Assembly, he also authored over 30 bills that became laws to expand healthcare coverage, protect homeowners from foreclosure, and make college ore affordable.

Fletcher has shown an independent streak at times and a willingness to stand up for what he believes is right.  He stood up against the military’s don’t ask, don’t tell policy on LGTQ soldiers before the Supreme Court overturned the policy as unconstitutional, while he was still a Republican. 

Stating that the party had left him, he became an independent and later, a Democrat. Fletcher ran unsuccessfully for mayor of San Diego before winning election as Supervisor in 2018.  He served as chair during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most turbulent times in our region’s history.

Under his leadership as Chair of the County Board of Supervisors, San Diego County attained:

• a 90% vaccination rate for COVID
• a 70% increase in county behavioral services
• declaration of a homelessness emergency and increased resources to help the homeless, as well as build affordable housing
• adoption of a community choice energy program to provide consumers with alternatives to SDG&E
• strengthening the county’s climate action plan
• a ban on ghost guns (illegal home-made guns)

Not everyone has agreed with Fletcher’s approaches. Vocal critics frequently disrupted Supervisorial meetings to oppose COVID-19 policies, for example.

Though a Democrat, Fletcher has shown some willingness to reach across the aisle to Republican Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond at times. Anderson has called Fletcher a “great partner to me and for my constituents” on issues such as shutting down illegal marijuana dispensaries, strengthening wildfire protection and working to reduce homelessness, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

On other issue he has been decidedly progressive, notably labor issues. Fletcher’s wife, Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher, is the California Labor Secretary and a former state legislator who championed pro-labor measures.

Fletcher has amassed over $1 million so far to fund his campaign, giving him a strong edge over any other potential candidates in the solidly “blue” Democratic district.

It’s not yet clear who may square off against Fletcher in a primary or general election for the State Senate Seat. The sprawling 39th district includes not only coastal communities from Imperial Beach to Solana Beach, but also central San Diego east to San Carlos, the College Area around SDSU, and portions of North County including Escondido. View map.

If Fletcher wins election to the State Senate, it would create a vacancy on the County Board of Supervisors midway through his four-year term of office.

Under Board Policy, Supervisors may vote to fill the vacancy either by appointment or by a special election.  The board might have difficulty agreeing on an appointee, however, since once Fletcher is out of office, the Board of Supervisors would have two Democrats and two Republicans.

If a special election is called, expect well-funded candidates on both sides to emerge, with the balance of power on the board at stake. The district does, however, have a strong democratic advantage and in 2022, Fletcher soundly defeated challenger Amy Reichert, a conservative activist and anti-vax, anti-masking advocate during the pandemic. Fletcher won nearly two-thirds of the vote.    

Candidates could come from anywhere in the 4^th Supervisor district. It includes the East County cities of La Mesa and Lemon Grove, as well as the unincorporated areas of Casa de Oro, Crest, Dehesa, Mt. Helix, Rancho San Diego and Spring Valley.

The district also includes many San Diego communities including  Clairemont (Bay Park, Bay Ho, Clairemont Mesa, North Clairemont), Hillcrest, Balboa Park, North Park, Bankers Hill, Old Town, Mission Hills, Normal Heights, University Heights, Oak Park, Webster, Valencia Park, Encanto, Bay Terraces, Paradise Hills, Skyline, Kearney Mesa, Linda Vista, Birdland, Serra Mesa, Civita, portions of Grantville, City Heights, Rolando, Azalea Park, Chollas Creek, Rolando Park, Kensington-Talmadge, Mid-City, Montezuma Mesa and SDSU Mission Valley.

You can learn more about Nathan Fletcher's candidacy for State Senate at his campaign website: https://www.nathanfletcher.com/.