Other items in today’s column include:
*Political bytes (prior to the election results)
*Coming our way
*Recommended reading
SAN DIEGO – There were 12 Jewish candidates on San Diego County ballots on March 3, including two Democrats vying for the presidential nomination on Super Tuesday. Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden were in a coast-to-coast race for delegates that stretched from Maine to California, with Biden winning or ahead in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Massachusetts. Sanders won or was leading in California, Colorado, Utah, and Vermont. Michael Bloomfield won in the American territory of American Samoa, and was battling Elizabeth Warren for third place in many of the states. Texas and Maine saw seesaw battles between Biden and Sanders, with delegate rich Texas apparently won by Biden in 11 p.m. returns.
Under the Democratic system, those candidates who received over 15 percent of the vote were guaranteed to harvest some delegates, either from the statewide races or from district races or both. Those who fell under 15 percent of the vote received no delegates, as was the case in early returns for Elizabeth Warren in ten states; Mike Bloomberg in six states; and both Sanders and Biden in the territory of American Samoa.
By 9:30 p.m., Pacific time, there were some startling outcomes in early presidential voting: Elizabeth Warren, who represents Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate, was trailing Biden and Sanders in her home state. Biden not only did well in states with large African-American constituencies such as Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas, but also performed well in states with large pluralities of white voters such as Minnesota (where he was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of that state), Oklahoma, and Massachusetts. Sanders, who had been expected to win California and Texas, the two states with the largest number of delegates, was forced to divide those delegate-rich states with Biden.
In the early count of local races,
CONGRESS, 53rd CD — Sara Jacobs seemed headed to a November runoff in the 53rd Congressional District with her fellow Democrat, Georgette Gomez, who is president of the San Diego City Council.
STATE ASSEMBLY, 75th AD Republican incumbent Marie Waldron had a very comfortable lead in the 75th Assembly District, with Democrat Kate Schwartz placing far ahead of Roger Garcia for the right to oppose Waldron in the general election.
Meanwhile in the 78th Assembly District race, San Diego City Councilman was far ahead of his two opponents, with Sarah Davis outpolling Micah Perlin for the right to oppose Ward in November.
MAYOR OF SAN DIEGO — In the race for San Diego mayor, Assemblyman Todd Gloria was running first, with San Diego City Councilmembers Scott Sherman and Barbara Bry in a tight race for second place and the right to oppose Gloria in November.
SAN DIEGO CITY ATTORNEY — Incumbent Mara Elliot had a comfortable lead in her bid for a second term, with attorney Cory Briggs positioned to oppose her in November.
SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL — In the 5th district, Marni Von Wilpert and Joe Leventhal seemed poised to oppose each other in November.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS — In the race for the District 3 seat of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, Terra Lawson-Remer was outpacing Escondido City Councilwoman Olga Diaz in early returns for the right to oppose incumbent County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT — In the race for Office No. 18 of the San Diego County Superior court, CJ Mody was compiling more votes than his sole opponent, Roberta Winston.
SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT — In the race for the District B seat of the San Diego Community College District, incumbent Bernie Rhinerson was outpolling Daniel Piedra, his sole opponent.
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Political bytes (prior to the election results)
*The 14 states on the Super-Tuesday ballot, in alphabetical order, with the number of Democratic delegates at stake, are Alabama (52), Arkansas (40), California (415), Colorado (67), Maine (24) , Massachusetts (91), Minnesota (75), North Carolina (110) , Oklahoma (37), Tennessee (64), Texas (228) , Utah (29), Vermont (16), Virginia (99). Additionally, the territory of American Samoa will be voting, with 6 delegates at stake, bringing the total number of delegates to be harvested to 1,353. To win the Democratic party nomination for President, the victor will need to receive a minimum of 1,991 of the 3,979 delegates.
*Going into Super Tuesday, Bernie Sanders had 60 pledged delegates, Joe Biden 54; Pete Buttigieg 26, Elizabeth Warren 8, Amy Klobochar 7, and Tulsi Gabbard 0. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s name was not on the ballot in the previous contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina, so Super Tuesday was his first presidential test, after spending hundreds of millions of his own dollars on advertising and professional staff. Bloomberg has said only if there is no clear winner of the primaries can he hope to collect enough delegate votes on subsequent ballots to win the nomination.
*Having previously endorsed Pete Buttigieg for President, The San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board decided to follow the example of Buttigieg, who dropped out on Sunday and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in what increasingly is viewed as a two-man race between Biden and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, form the Democratic party nomination.
*An email message from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) urged a vote in the presidential election for Bernie Sanders, describing him as “the strongest champion for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice in this race.”
Ocasio-Cortez also sent out a message boosting the candidacy of San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez against frontrunner Sara Jacobs in the 53rd Congressional District. Occasio-Cortez wrote: “Georgette Gómez (CA-53) is running in an open primary against an opponent who received lots of super PAC support.” Gomez meanwhile sent out a message saying “I’m ready to deliver for this community — on universal health care, ending the climate crisis, housing, comprehensive immigration reform, and so much more.”
*In last minute advertising, Terra Lawson-Remer highlighted her endorsement by U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who led the impeachment effort against President Donald Trump, as well as by an assembly of local present and former officeholders, including San Diego Community College Trustee, Bernie Rhinerson, who is seeking reelection to the District B seat.
*That wasn’t Israeli film star Gal Gadot at San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s press conference urging passage of Proposition C, only a cos-playing entertainer dressed as Gadot’s “Wonder Woman” character. The measure on today’s ballot would provide funds for the San Diego Convention Center, which annually hosts the ever-growing Comic-Con. Given Comic-Con’s burgeoning size, expansion is seen as the best way to keep the pop event and to attract other mega-conventions. Appearing with Faulconer were two candidates who would like to succeed the termed-out mayor – Assemblyman Todd Gloria and City Councilman Scott Sherman. Wonder Woman had a superhero rival too. Another cos-player was dressed up as Captain America.
*Todd Gloria, in a last-minute email pitch in the San Diego mayoral contest, wrote: “I grew up as the son of a maid and a gardener. I am a person of color and a member of the LGBTQ community. People like me have never been elected to serve as San Diego’s Mayor. But together, we can change that this year! I am proud to be the progressive candidate in this race endorsed by the San Diego County Democratic Party. I will fight to end chronic homelessness, create more affordable housing in San Diego, and implement our climate action plan.”
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Coming our way
*Shabbat San Diego is participating in the Community Purim Carnival at the Lawrence Family JCC, 4126 Executive Drive, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, March 8, which also is sponsored by Congregation Beth Am and Ohr Shalom Synagogue. The Shabbat San Diego (SSD) organization will sponsor the 4th annual Community Hamantashen Bake under the supervision of Rabbi Daniel Srugo of the Chabad of Bonita and Beth Eliyahu Torah Center organization. SSD noted that otherl Purim carnivals are planned at Tifereth Israel Synagogue, Temple Solel, and Congregation Beth Israel
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Recommended reading
*The current issue of the Israel Philatelist has a 6-page spread on the late songwriter and performer Leonard Cohen, who has been the subject of numerous philatelic tributes, especially by his native Canada but also by such countries as Finland, Germany, Guine-Bissau, Hungary, and even Indonesia. The 60-page quarterly is edited by Donald A. Chafetz, a resident of El Cajon, California. The article on Cohen was written by Irv Osterer of Ottawa, Canada.
* The Jerusalem Post reports a 9,000-square-foot museum dedicated to the Jewish experience in 13 states in the American south is having a grand re-opening in New Orleans.
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Donald H. Harrison, editor of San Diego Jewish World, and SDJW co-publisher Nancy E. Harrison congratulate their grandson Sky Masori and other students at Lewis Junior High School for being awarded honor roll certificates today. Harrison may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com