Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Politics

San Diego Councilman Plans To Run For Atkins' Assembly Seat

San Diego Lifeguard Sgt. Ed Harris shown here as an interim city councilman in 2014.
City of San Diego
San Diego Lifeguard Sgt. Ed Harris shown here as an interim city councilman in 2014.

San Diego City Councilman Ed Harris confirmed Wednesday that he plans to make a run for the Assembly in two years.

Harris, who will give up his place on the City Council next month, told City News Service he will try to succeed Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, in the 78th Assembly District.

His intentions were first reported by the O.B. Rag, a newspaper in Ocean Beach, which is part of Harris' council District 2.

Advertisement

After Kevin Faulconer won the special election for mayor, the city lifeguard was appointed to the City Council under the condition that he not run for the seat this year. He said he "got the opportunity to feel it out, which nobody gets."

"For me, the struggle has always been about the balance between family and career, and so my concern before was can you balance them both, and I've been successfully able to balance them," Harris said. "I've had some conversations with some other legislators in Sacramento, who also are able to balance those two things."

The Democrat said he was attracted to the Assembly district because it's along the coast, which fits his interest in environmental issues.

Atkins will be termed out of the Assembly after 2016.