ARTICLES

"He Doesn't Even Live Here"

Bob Filner Is a Foreigner in His Own District, Says Republican Challenger

By Bob McPhail

Of the five candidates listed by the registrar of voters as qualified for the March 5 primary ballot in the 51st Congressional District, four provide street addresses showing where they live. The only exception is incumbent Bob Filner, who lists a post office box in downtown San Diego, an address that is in the 49th District, represented by Susan Davis. "He doesn't even live here," says Maria Guadalupe Garcia, a Republican who seeks to unseat Filner. "He is not from San Diego."

A staff member at Filner's district office in Chula Vista refused to provide an address, and would not even say in what city in San Diego County the pro-abortion congressman resides. "All I can say is that he lives in the congressional district," said the Filner staff member. According to a biography provided by Filner's office in Washington, he was born in Pittsburgh, PA, and raised in New York City. He moved to San Diego in 1970 to take a teaching position at San Diego State University, where he was on the history faculty until 1992, the year he was first elected to Congress. From 1979 until 1983, Filner was a member of the San Diego School Board, and from 1987 until 1992 he was a San Diego city councilman representing the 8th district, where he formed a gay and lesbian advisory board. Filner was also once an aide to former U.S. Sen. Hubert Humphrey, and was briefly jailed in Mississippi as a college student for civil rights protests.

Garcia, a 38-year-old mother of five with baby number six on the way, lives in Chula Vista, where over the years she has home-schooled four of her children. She says she entered the race because she wanted to make sure that Filner faced opposition. "I have kept track of his voting record," she said. "He has got to be one of the most liberal members of Congress. He votes way to the left."

During his five terms in Congress, Filner has voted against parental consent for minors to receive contraceptives, against restrictions on access to abortion for minors, against a ban on homosexual adoptions in the District of Columbia, against extending legal rights to fetuses killed during the commission of a crime, against banning abortions in military hospitals, and in favor of partial-birth abortion. He opposed Propostion 22 (Protection of Marriage), and has received 100 percent ratings from Planned Parenthood, the National Abortion Rights Action League, and the Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual political advocacy group.

Garcia also notes the demographic makeup of the 51st, which is a new district approved by the state legislature in September. It includes all of California's portion of the U.S.-Mexico border, encompassing Chula Vista, National City, South San Diego, San Ysidro, Bonita, La Presa, and all of Imperial County. More than 53 percent of the residents in the new district are Hispanic.

"Many Hispanics are pro-life, and it's an issue that is not brought to their attention," said Garcia. "We believe in the sanctity of life." She said she spoke to the other Republican in the race, Guillermo Durazo, also of Chula Vista, and concluded that he was not staunchly pro-life in his convictions. She said Durazo told her that he favored exceptions in cases of rape and incest, a view she does not share. "I don't believe God makes mistakes when he creates life," she said.

Filner is also being challenged in his own party by a pro-life Democrat, Daniel Ramirez of Calexico. Ramirez, 57, shares Garcia's view that Filner is unsuited to represent the 51st District. "Filner knows nothing about how this community lives and breathes," says Ramirez. "He has no business running in this district. He has nothing in common with us." Ramirez can be contacted by telephone in Calexico at (760) 357-3006, or by mail at 1069 Heber Ave., Calexico, CA 92231.

Garcia said she welcomes any support people want to offer. "If people want to help me, I would be glad to talk to them. They can call me at home." Her phone number is (619) 691-0142.

The last day to register to vote in the March 5 primary is Tuesday, Feb. 19.

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