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San Diego Democrats to Vote on Aguirre Endorsement

San Diego’s Democratic Party will decide tonight whether to endorse Mike Aguirre for a second term as city attorney. The vote will be critical for Aguirre, who did not win the local Democratic Party

San Diego’s Democratic Party will decide tonight whether to endorse Mike Aguirre for a second term as city attorney. The vote will be critical for Aguirre, who did not win the local Democratic Party endorsement before the June Primary. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

The San Diego Democratic Party was deeply divided over the city attorney’s race leading up to the Primary. City labor unions lobbied to reject Aguirre because of his legal efforts to roll back pension benefits. They wanted another democrat, city council President Scott Peters.

But Democratic Party leader ,Jess Durfee, says, with Peters out of the running, Aguirre now faces t he Republican Party’s chosen candidate, Jan Goldsmith.

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Durfee: There’s less organized opposition to an Aguirre endorsement and I think that will make tonight’s decision a lot easier for the group. Keep in mind that the last time we voted on this Mike Aguirre just barely fell short of an endorsement at that point.

The split in the Democratic Party meant no-one got their endorsement last time round. The city’s police and fire unions have already endorsed Goldsmith heading into November, making the endorsement of the Democratic Party all the more important for Aguirre.

However the local Democratic Party spent less than a quarter of the amount  the Republican Party spent to support candidates in June.

Alison St John, KPBS news.