SAN DIEGO — Super Tuesday returns this year on March 5, 2024 with the Presidential Primary. As election day nears, most of San Diego's mayoral candidates have been attending forums across the city to argue their key positions and sway the final undecided voters.
Gloria has not attended any of the mayoral forums due to having a full and conflicting schedule, according to his campaign coordinator.
Here's a breakdown of the candidates:
Jane Glasson
Jane Glasson is the sole Republican nominee on the ballot and does not have a profession listed on the official candidate list. Glasson does not have a campaign website, but has said at mayoral forums she does not support Senate Bill 10, the controversial bill implemented last year. SB 10 allows cities to adopt ordinances that can override certain zoning laws by building up to 10 units on a single lot in "transit-rich areas."
Glasson said she also doesn't like the idea of SDG&E basing utility rates based off income.
Todd Gloria
Todd Gloria is the incumbent candidate as the current mayor of San Diego and has been serving since 2020. He previously served in San Diego City Council District 3, and District 78 of the California State Assembly. Gloria is a Democrat and was elected in 2020 following Kevin Faulconer's six-year run. According to his campaign website, San Diego's most pressing issues are public safety, homelessness, housing and infrastructure. Gloria signed the Unsafe Camping Ordinance into law, which prevents unhoused people from setting up encampments near sensitive spaces such as schools and parks if shelter beds are available.
Geneviéve Jones-Wright
Geneviéve Jones-Wright is an adjunct instructor at Point Loma Nazarene University and worked as a San Diego County public defender for 13 years. She now serves as the Executive Director for Community Advocates for Just and Moral Governance, an impact litigation organization. According to her campaign website, she aims to build pathways to housing and home ownership for all San Diego residents. She also wants to work toward investing in communities that have historically been neglected such as Southeast San Diego. Jones-Wright was also one of original members of San Diego's TRUST Coalition, a group that worked to instill disclosure of surveillance tech usage throughout the city. Although City Council and current Mayor Todd Gloria recently made some major changes to the initial ordinance, Jones-Wright says if she is elected, she will focus on building trust and accountability with the city's government.
Dan Smiechowski
Dan Smiechowski has coined himself the "Million Mile Man" after he found a deep love for running. He's traveled across the world to compete in various marathons and competitions. One of Smiechowski's primary goals is to make Horton Plaza into a "15-minute city," meaning all functions of a city can be accessed within 15 minutes of where they live. He also said a big hurdle to housing the homeless is land cost in San Diego. By removing the sale of land from the cost of housing, his campaign website says, home ownership in the city can become more likely for future generations. His vision for his prospective mayoral tenure includes: well-maintained infrastructure, smooth roads, and a focus on public safety.
Larry Turner
Larry Turner is a San Diego Police officer and retired Lt. Colonel with the United States Marine Corps. Turner has been with San Diego Police Department since 2015. Turner has no party preference. He has endorsed the controversial Sunbreak Ranch, a proposed plan to homelessness that would place all unhoused people in a remote Miramar camp. A lawsuit was recently filed earlier in February challenging whether Turner is a resident of San Diego and is qualified to appear on the ballot. The judge ruled he can remain on the primary ballot and his trial date is set for March 29.
WATCH RELATED: Candidates challenging Todd Gloria face off in San Diego mayoral forum