Three present and incoming members of the San Diego City Council and one City Council candidate -- all of whom supported the pension reform initiative passed by voters last week -- endorsed Councilman Carl DeMaio for mayor today.
San Diego City Council President Pro-Tem Kevin Faulconer, Councilwoman Lorie Zapf and Councilman-elect Mark Kersey expressed their support for DeMaio as did Scott Sherman, who holds a slight majority in his council race with tens of thousands of ballots still to be counted.
DeMaio said he hopes to work with those four to form 'a consensus on the City Council.''
The councilman edged out Rep. Bob Filner, D-San Diego, in last Tuesday's primary election, 31.9 percent to 30 percent. They face off again in the November general election to succeed termed-out Mayor Jerry Sanders.
Filner's campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Faulconer said he and DeMaio have found common ground on "fundamental and powerful principles'' that San Diegans are uniting behind.
"This mayoral election presents a very clear choice between two candidates with very difference visions for San Diego,'' Faulconer said.
Zapf said DeMaio would continue with reforms that have resulted in balanced budgets, increasing core services and addressing deferred maintenance needs, "or we can have a return to the past -- past practices that got us in trouble in the first place.''
Kersey, who ran unopposed, will fill DeMaio's seat on the council, representing Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch and Rancho Bernardo. DeMaio decided not to run for re-election so he could devote his time for the mayoral campaign.
Sherman had 50.6 percent of the vote after Friday's count in his district -- needing just one vote over 50 percent to avoid a November runoff.
The four, along with DeMaio, were major backers of Proposition B, the pension overhaul measure that passed with the backing of two-thirds of the voters.
DeMaio said his team would provide "common-sense solutions'' but promised not to ignore ideas that come from elsewhere.
"In my administration, we're going to reach out to Democrats,
Republicans and independents,'' DeMaio said. "I will work collaboratively with the City Council and all city officials on a proactive agenda to tackle San Diego's challenges, to bring people together.''
