South County Democrats have been at war with one another. Now, with a crucial general election nearing, they are pinning their hopes on a peacemaker. Democrats in the party’s South Area region, which encompasses San Diego County’s southern cities and unincorporated areas, recently selected Sherman Heights realtor and longtime party activist Rafael Perez as the party’s new South Area vice chair.
Leadership and Unity
Perez, who last month lost a bid for San Diego City Council, will coordinate election efforts in a year when Democrats are hoping to extend their influence in numerous local jurisdictions and end their years-long shutout from South County mayoral offices. A self-described “firm but fair” leader, Perez said he hopes to heal divisions among local Democrats, who over the past year have engaged in seemingly nonstop feuding over candidates, endorsements and the party’s fundamental values and strategy.
Perez replaces former South Area Vice Chair Jason Bercovitch, who resigned last month after a video surfaced of him engaging in a shouting match with another party activist over a controversial candidate endorsement. Perez said he hopes to avoid such dustups by following the rules and making sure everyone feels heard.
A New Direction
Perez said during his campaign to represent District 8 on the San Diego City Council – which he lost by roughly 1,100 votes – voters’ number one complaint was what he described as “a disconnect between what they perceived to be the focus [of elected leaders] and what [residents’] challenges and frustrations really are.” Voters perceive that politicians are just looking out for themselves, Perez said. What voters actually care about, he said, is “safety and potholes and crime and pollution.”
Perez said he hopes to steer Democrats back to those fundamentals and keep the focus on fundraising, supporting candidates and winning important races. “By and large, the South Area encompasses a lot of working-class communities who need and seek voices that have their needs prioritized,” he said. “That’s who I’m fighting for and that’s who our endorsed candidates are fighting for.”
In other news, Chula Vista resident Sandra Scheller is working to establish a Holocaust museum in San Diego. Scheller, the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, said she hopes to inspire San Diegans to learn about the Holocaust and advocate for a permanent memorial museum.
Original reporting: Voice of San Diego — read the source article.
