By Tina Rynberg and Jeff Benesch | La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club

La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club shifts into gear with the last of our Candidates Forums before the most important midterm election of our lifetimes.

On Wednesday, Oct. 3, at La Mesa Community Center, we expect to hear from a host of impressive progressives, including the candidates for the San Diego County congressional delegation, Susan Davis, Scott Peters, Mike Levin, and the fast-rising star of East County, Ammar Campa Najjar. With the recent many-count indictment of crooked bunny-shipper Duncan D. Hunter and his wife/accomplice Margaret, the prospects of the race for the 50th tightening up look promising. (Even local Republicans think it’s wrong to embezzle $250,000 from your campaign funds and use them repeatedly for self-aggrandizement, family travel and moral interpetude.)

We’ve invited Sacramento stars Assembly members Shirley Weber and Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, and state Senator Toni Atkins. Let’s not forget club-favorite San Diego County District 4 Supervisor candidate Nathan Fletcher, as well as Superior Court judge candidate Matt Brower.

In La Mesa, Dr. Akilah Weber and Dave Myers make a formidable slate of City Council candidates, aptly named “The Doc and the Cop.” Our goal is to work hard enough to have these two outstanding community leaders join Colin Parent on the council to form a Democratic majority. Let’s move La Mesa forward, shall we?

We’ve invited back impressive San Diego City Council candidates Tommy Hough and Dr. Jen Campbell, both with great campaigns against incumbent Republicans in their respective council districts. There’s a chance for them to be part of a super-majority of Dems on the San Diego City Council. And Kevin Beiser will be sure to be part of our program to talk about his candicacy for San Diego Unified School Board.

We’re also hoping to hear from Rebecca McRae and Charda Fontenot, outstanding candidates for the La Mesa-Spring Valley School Board. Also invited: Linda Cartwright, Debbie Justeson and Brad Monroe in the race for Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Trustees, Liz Weaver for Grossmont Union High School Area 3 Trustee, and Gloria Chadwick and Ed Martinez in the race for the Grossmont Healthcare District.

There’s more seats and candidates in San Diego and East County, and we hope to have Democratic candidates in every race join us for a real evening of politics and politicking. Our club represents the communities of San Carlos, Allied Gardens, Del Cerro, La Mesa, College Area, Santee, Mt. Helix, Casa de Oro and Spring Valley and other close-by areas. We meet the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Please join us as a guest or become a new member, with our modest dues pro-rated for the rest of the year. Like us on Facebook and check out our new website, lamesafoothillsdemcoraticclub.com.

—Tina Rynberg is president and Jeff Benesch is vice president of programming for La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club. Reach them at [email protected].