One of the more high-profile local races this year is for the county supervisor seat held by Democrat Dave Roberts. The San Diego County Republican Party is eager to regain the seat.
Two North County mayors, Escondido's Sam Abed and Encinitas' Kristin Gaspar — both Republicans — are running to unseat Roberts.
Local Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric said the group's elected committee members met behind closed doors this week and Abed got the required two-thirds vote to win the party's endorsement.
“Sam Abed was the preferred candidate, and we will be supporting him,” Krvaric said. “But Kristin Gaspar is another rising star in the Republican Party. Gaspar and Abed would both do a great job there, but the party will officially be supporting Sam Abed to make sure that the county continues on a fiscally conservative path."
The endorsement could come with significant financial support, though Krvaric would not indicate how much that might be.
Gaspar has been endorsed by the pro-business Lincoln Club of San Diego County and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, which donated $30,000 to her campaign this month.
Roberts was on the Solana Beach City Council before being elected to fill Pam Slater-Price’s seat on the county Board of Supervisors in 2012. He is the only Democrat on the five-member board, which is officially nonpartisan.
His 3rd District stretches up the coast from Torrey Pines to Encinitas and inland to Escondido.