The candidates in the race for the newly redistricted 52nd Congressional seat are running neck and neck. In the final weeks leading up to the election, the dueling campaigns are out hunting for both financial support and endorsements that could swing voters’ perceptions of their candidates.
Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray’s campaign announced an endorsement from Biocom, the association for biotechnology and medical device manufacturers.
The organization called Bilbray “a champion of the life sciences industry.” Bilbray has helped the industry from his position as a member of the House Energy and Commerce committee. For example, he introduced a bill to repeal a $20 billion tax on medical devices, part of the Affordable Care Act. Bilbray says on his campaign website, “It is no secret that the best markets are the freest markets. Removing government barriers to job growth is necessary in any business.”
Democrat Scott Peters’ campaign unveiled an endorsement from the National League of Conservation Voters Action Fund. The organization said Peters has a “remarkable track record as an environmental champion,“ and cites his record of cleaning up sewage spills and protecting open spaces, while remaining focused on job creation. Peters was an environmental attorney before becoming a member of the San Diego City Council. He is now a San Diego Port Commissioner.
Both candidates are expected to figure prominently in TV ads in San Diego. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will invest more than $1 million to defeat Bilbray, while the National Republican Congressional Committee has earmarked more than $1 million to attack Peters. The first Democratic Campaign ad starts running today.
The 52nd district, which runs from Coronado to Poway, is the only congressional seat in San Diego that could change its political stripes this year, depending on its large contingent of independent voters.
