SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - While some of his colleagues call for his resignation, some San Diego voters are doing what they can to get the mayor out of office. A local political activist is spearheading the movement to recall Mayor Filner.
As of Monday morning, the "Recall Bob Filner" Facebook page only had 2,100 likes. But with new allegations of sexual harassment, News 8's political analyst Dr. Carl Luna thinks support will grow.
"I think a recall is highly probable," Luna said.
Luna, a professor in political science at Mesa College, doesn't think Mayor Filner knows how to walk away from a fight.
"It takes a substantial amount of ego to want to be a politician, to think you can do a better job than anybody else to run a city. Sometimes that gets in the way, and I believe this mayor thinks he can ride this out," Luna said.
If Mayor Filner refuses to resign, voters could launch a recall, at which time proponents would have 39 days to collect just over 100,000 signatures from registered city voters. That petition would trigger a special election within 60 to 90 days.
"I knew this was coming. This was no surprise to me," recall supporter Mike Pallamary said.
Pallamary created the "Recall Bob Filner" Facebook page weeks ago because he says he could sense the mayor was about to implode.
"This is outrageous, and this is Bob Filner. This is what he does," Pallamary said.
A recall ballot would consist of two questions:
- Should Mayor Filner be recalled? and,
- Who should his replacement be?
Professor Luna offers a few of the potential candidates.
"Well right now to handicap it I'd say Nathan Fletcher is an odds-on favorite for first place, maybe Todd Gloria, Kevin Faulconer. Not likely Carl DeMaio though -- he'll stay running for Congress," Luna said.
If more than 50 percent of the voters support the recall, the replacement with the highest amount of votes would become the next mayor. As for the recall Facebook page, it's filling up with negative comments.
A San Diego mayor has never been recalled in the history of the city, but we have seen mayors resign, followed by special elections, which can be very costly financially.
