Bob Filner

By all indications, it looked like it was going to be a Wednesday afternoon session of vacation slides from hell. There we were, holed up on a lovely spring day in the Capitol Hill office of Rep. Bob Filner, San Diego Democrat, while he described snapshots of his recent trip to the Philippines. Everybody got their own set. "Bob and Jane Filner enjoy breakfast with the Sons and Daughters of World War II veterans. . . .

SAN DIEGO — City Councilman Carl DeMaio conceded defeat Wednesday to U.S. Rep. Bob Filner in the hard-fought race to succeed Mayor Jerry Sanders. DeMaio, 38, a conservative Republican, said he remains proud that he was a leader in the movement to reform the financial practices of city government, including curbing "runaway pension costs" and defeating a sales-tax increase. In unofficial returns, DeMaio trailed Filner, 70, a liberal Democrat, 52% to 48%. DeMaio told supporters that he had called Filner with congratulations.

The newly drawn 50th Congressional District, which stretches from East San Diego to the Mexican border, is so lopsidedly Democratic that the winner of the party's June 2 primary almost certainly will be the district's new congressman. Fortunately, the contest has drawn an unusually high-caliber lineup of candidates. Even the also-rans show promise. But, of the six-candidate Democratic pack, only three have a legitimate chance to win: state Sen. Wadie Deddeh, former Rep.

SAN DIEGO - After a campaign filled with negative TV commercials and name-calling, San Diego voters will choose between two philosophically opposed candidates to succeed termed-out Mayor Jerry Sanders, a moderate Republican. Rep. Bob Filner, a liberal Democrat, and Councilman Carl DeMaio, a conservative Republican, disagree sharply on key issues but share one characteristic: Both have assertive, some say abrasive, personalities, unlike the low-key, consensus-minded Sanders. As a debate moderator, syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette, said of them last week: "Both of you have reputations for not playing well with others.

Incumbent Bob Filner, 49, is a former history professor at San Diego State University and a former city school board member. He was elected to the City Council in 1987. Filner has a Ph.D. from Cornell University. He lives in Golden Hill. The 8th District, stretching from Golden Hill in the north to San Ysidro in the south, includes perhaps the most diverse group of people ever to elect a single representative.

Injecting an ethnic note in an increasingly acrimonious race, Republican congressional candidate Tony Valencia called Democrat Bob Filner a "white liberal" during a campaign forum and pointed out that Filner, like imprisoned junk bond king Michael Milken, is Jewish.

The 64-year-old California Theatre, once home to vaudeville, organ recitals, movies, live theater and most recently rock 'n' roll, now faces the wrecking ball after the San Diego City Council voted Tuesday to downgrade its status as a landmark worthy of historical preservation.

With a newly created Latino majority that has never seen a non-incumbent Latino candidate elected to the San Diego City Council, the 8th District exemplifies both the frustrations and dreams that led to the advent of district-only elections and the city's protracted redistricting fight.

SAN DIEGO - After a campaign filled with negative TV commercials and name-calling, San Diego voters will choose between two philosophically opposed candidates to succeed termed-out Mayor Jerry Sanders, a moderate Republican. Rep. Bob Filner, a liberal Democrat, and Councilman Carl DeMaio, a conservative Republican, disagree sharply on key issues but share one characteristic: Both have assertive, some say abrasive, personalities, unlike the low-key, consensus-minded Sanders. As a debate moderator, syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette, said of them last week: "Both of you have reputations for not playing well with others.

SAN DIEGO - City Councilman Carl DeMaio, a conservative Republican, held a slim edge Tuesday over Rep. Bob Filner, a liberal Democrat, in early vote totals in the race to succeed termed-out Mayor Jerry Sanders, a moderate Republican. The race was expensive and bitter, with the two candidates holding strongly opposing views on key issues, including the outsourcing of city jobs and the upcoming contract negotiations with city workers over salaries and pensions. The two emerged as the top vote-getters in the June primary by edging out San Diego County Dist.

Rep. Bob Filner (D-Chula Vista) has joined readers in criticizing a newspaper cartoon showing his GOP opponent, a wounded Iraq veteran, calling it inappropriate. "The cartoon was in poor taste and does not reflect the Imperial Valley's strong support for our troops and veterans," Filner said of political cartoon published Saturday in the Imperial Valley Press. The cartoon showed a poster of Filner's opponent, Nick Popaditch, wearing a patch on his right eye; two young skateboarders are puzzled about whether he is a spy, a pirate or a sitcom character.

A California congressman who was to stand trial on assault and battery charges next week over an altercation at Dulles International Airport entered a plea to a lesser charge Monday and was fined $100. Rep. Bob Filner's trial was to begin Dec. 4 in Loudoun County, Va., on charges that he pushed a United Airlines baggage claim worker. The incident occurred Aug. 19 as the Chula Vista Democrat tried to enter an employee-only area after his baggage was delayed in arriving.

A court hearing scheduled for today involving assault and battery charges against U.S. Rep. Bob Filner (D-Chula Vista) was postponed until Dec. 4. The Loudoun County General District Court granted a motion of continuance to Filner, who airport authorities said shoved a United Airlines baggage claim worker at Dulles International Airport. The House Ethics Committee has formed a subcommittee to investigate the charges against Filner.

Rep. Bob Filner (D-Chula Vista) has been summoned to court on assault and battery charges after an incident at Dulles International Airport where he allegedly pushed a United Airlines baggage claim worker. Airport authorities said Filner attempted to enter an employees-only area, pushed aside the worker's arm and wouldn't leave when asked. The employee, whom United declined to identify, decided to press charges.

The congressman who represents California's 51st District is 63-year-old Bob Filner, and on the day of the Brawley Cattle Call Parade he was where a candidate was supposed to be: in the back seat of a '59 T-Bird convertible, waving at thousands of voters camped out along Main Street.

By all indications, it looked like it was going to be a Wednesday afternoon session of vacation slides from hell. There we were, holed up on a lovely spring day in the Capitol Hill office of Rep. Bob Filner, San Diego Democrat, while he described snapshots of his recent trip to the Philippines. Everybody got their own set. "Bob and Jane Filner enjoy breakfast with the Sons and Daughters of World War II veterans. . . .

A court hearing scheduled for today involving assault and battery charges against U.S. Rep. Bob Filner (D-Chula Vista) was postponed until Dec. 4. The Loudoun County General District Court granted a motion of continuance to Filner, who airport authorities said shoved a United Airlines baggage claim worker at Dulles International Airport. The House Ethics Committee has formed a subcommittee to investigate the charges against Filner.

Rep. Bob Filner (D-Chula Vista) has been summoned to court on assault and battery charges after an incident at Dulles International Airport where he allegedly pushed a United Airlines baggage claim worker. Airport authorities said Filner attempted to enter an employees-only area, pushed aside the worker's arm and wouldn't leave when asked. The employee, whom United declined to identify, decided to press charges.

San Diego City Councilman Bob Filner, running as the Democratic candidate in the newly created 50th Congressional District, enjoyed a comfortable lead Tuesday night over his Republican opponent. In other congressional races throughout the county, GOP incumbents Randy (Duke) Cunningham and Ron Packard appeared coasting to easy victories over their Democratic challengers.