California Congressional District 51: Deja Vu All Over Again in 2020
Once upon a time, California’s 51st Congressional District included most of Eastern San Diego County and was about as reliably Republican as you can get. Then redistricting happened and the 51st was strung out along the Mexican border and included all of Imperial County.
Bob Filner posted a string of impressive victories over Republican challengers during the aughts, resigning his post only after he’d won the city mayoral contest in 2012.
Along came Juan Vargas, who’d lost out to Filner in a couple of primary contests, going on to pay his political dues as a City Councilman, Assembly member, and finally squeaking a victory (by 22 votes) over Mary Salas to be elected to the State Senate.
Rumor has long held that Vargas’ ascension to the House was part of a deal between local Democratic powerhouse politicians. Ben Hueso moved over to the State Senate, Lorena Gonzalez moved up in the 80th Assembly District, and Juan Vargas went to Washington.
Whether or not the above story is true, I sometimes get the sense that something hinky is going on with South Bay elections. Hueso’s running for supervisor, but supposedly using a stalking horse candidate to get past the primary. Oh, and some of those folks seem to sue each other mighty often. And there are feuds among various officials reminiscent of the Hatfields and McCoys.
Fortunately, this year’s congressional contest in the 51st District is not complicated. Incumbent Vargas is running against the same Republican who he trounced in 2016 (73-27%) and 2018 (71-29%). Maybe we should start a pool to see if retired Marine Master Sergeant Juan Hildalgo can top 30% this time out.
For much of the year it appeared as though Vargas might have a primary challenge from the left. While the congressman’s positions on social issues are consistently liberal, his membership in the centrist New Democrat coalition has raised concerns.
Social justice advocate and mental health counselor Aeiramique Glass Blake did not qualify for the March primary after being hospitalized in November and failing to gather the required signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Via Charles T. Clark at the Union-Tribune:
When Glass Blake, 32, announced her candidacy the possibility of an intraparty battle — although unlikely — came into play.
A mainstay in the greater San Diego activist community, Glass Blake possessed solid progressive bona fides and made hay on the campaign trail, accusing Vargas of a lack of presence in the district and garnering endorsements from some local Democratic officials and Democratic clubs who opted for her over Vargas in the primary, including the San Diego County Young Democrats, the San Diego Progressive Democratic Club and the Democratic Woman’s Club of San Diego.
Her campaign, and that of other young Democrats challenging incumbents, also hit a hurdle in March when the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said political strategists and vendors of campaign services who work for candidates waging primary challenges against incumbents would not get business from the party. Glass Blake herself directly said at the time that she had a consulting firm decline to work with her for fear of losing clients.
Democrats have a 3 to 1 edge in voter registration in the 51st District.
Candidate websites and social media are listed below.
Juan M Hildalgo, Jr. (Republican)
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Juan C. Vargas (Democratic incumbent)
Website | Facebook | Twitter.
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