San Diego Councilman Todd Gloria Announces Bid For State Assembly

San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria announced Tuesday morning that he will run next year for the state Assembly's 78th District.

"Together, we have stabilized the City's budget, advocated for housing, protected our environment, and stood up for working families. I want to continue that progress as San Diego's voice in our State Capitol," Gloria said in the announcement that he linked to in a tweet.

He spoke about a number of issues he hopes to address if elected to the Assembly.

"My priority is always on helping more families to make ends meet and whether it was championing increasing the minimum wage, pushing forward with transportation options to allow more people to get from A to B in whatever way they want, protecting our environment — these are the issues I’ll champion in Sacramento if given the opportunity," Gloria said.

Gloria, a Democrat, represents San Diego's District 3, which includes downtown San Diego, Balboa Park, Bankers Hill, Hillcrest, Mission Hills, Normal Heights, University Heights, North Park, South Park and Old Town. Gloria is being termed out of the City Council in 2016. During his two terms on the council, he has served as council president, chairman of the Budget Committee and interim mayor, a position he held for six months following the resignation of disgraced former Mayor Bob Filner in August 2013.

The seat is currently held by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, a Democrat and former San Diego city councilwoman. She is termed out next year of her Assembly seat and has not announced any plans to seek office next year. Atkins has created a fundraising committee to run for Democratic state Sen. Marty Block's seat when his term expires in 2020.

Atkins endorsed Gloria stating that he is a "dynamic leader."

"Todd's future holds a number of exciting options, and I am pleased he has chosen to run for the Assembly," Atkins said in a statement. "Having served the people of this district for five years, I know Todd will do a wonderful job succeeding me in the Assembly."

Gloria said in his announcement that he has the support of Sarah Boot, a former federal prosecutor who lost the race for a San Diego City Council seat last year. Boot announced her candidacy for Atkins' Assembly seat in January.

At the time, Atkins backed Boot, who withdrew her candidacy Tuesday and endorsed Gloria.

In a statement, Boot said, "Todd Gloria is a great candidate to support to follow in the foot steps of Toni Atkins in the 78th Assembly District. I’m proud that we’ve worked together in the fight to raise the minimum wage, and we need his voice in the State Assembly, thoughtfully working towards statewide solutions to the affordable housing and homelessness crises, and standing up for San Diego.”

San Diego lifeguard Ed Harris, a Democrat who served temporarily on the City Council in 2014, has also announced he is running in the 78th District.

Republican Kevin Melton, who finished third in a three-way race for the seat last June, also has said he will run again in the 78th District.

The 78th District runs along the coast from Solana Beach to the U.S.-Mexico border. It also includes the inland San Diego neighborhoods, including University City, Bay Park, Clairemont, North Park and City Heights.

According to voter registration records in February, the district is 39 percent Democratic, 30 percent decline to state, 25 percent Republican and 6 percent other parties.