Jerry Sanders

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A LATE-BLOOMING POLITICIAN, mayoral candidate Jerry Sanders served as San Diego’s chief of police from 1993 until 1999, when he ended a 26-year career with SDPD. A pioneer in community policing, Sanders helped effect a more than 40 percent decrease in San Diego crime during those six years. Next, he took on the local United Way as president and CEO, at a time when the agency faced declining contributions and a bloated bureaucracy. After guiding that turnaround, he joined the board of the embattled San Diego chapter of the American Red Cross, where he led the charge for reorganization there. In July, he placed second in the primary for San Diego mayor, with 27 percent of the vote, earning the right to face Councilmember Donna Frye in the November 8 runoff. Sanders lives in Kensington with his wife, Rana Sampson, and his daughters, Lisa and Jamie.

TOM BLAIR: First, congratulations. And maybe condolences, too. Looks like a tough and expensive campaign ahead. Has Steve Francis offered to loan you any money?

JERRY SANDERS: No, that’s funny, he hasn’t. But he did endorse me.

TB: Money played a huge role in the primary when Francis sank some $2 million of his own into his campaign. How do you feel about self-financed campaigns?

JS: I’m not fond of them. [Laughs.] But when you pour that much money into a campaign . . . Well . . . I don’t think . . . it does the process any good.

TB: The county Republican Party, which sits rather far to the right, supported Francis in the primary. He’s considered a conservative. You’re a moderate. Will they endorse you?

JS: My understanding is they probably will, but I still have to talk with them. I’m trying to be very careful, because I want to extend an invitation for Democrats, and independents, and people who just live in neighborhoods to support me. I really don’t want this to become a partisan race, even though it has to some extent.

TB: The right wing of the party here attacked you for marching in the Gay Pride parade as police chief. And last month, right after your primary win, you marched again.

JS: Yes, I did. I was in the parade when I was chief of police, and I rode in it as grand marshal when I was at the United Way. I was in the Columbus Day Parade, the Martin Luther King Parade, the Cesar Chavez Parade, too. I think every community deserves that respect. As chief of police, I policed every community in San Diego, and they needed to see me, no matter what the community.

TB: So you won a place in the runoff for mayor. But you also won a chance to face an opponent who got more than 43 percent of the primary vote to your 27 percent. How can you overcome that lead in three months?

JS: The strategy is to clearly define where I am on positions. To define my experience. To let people know that while I’ve never been an elected politician, I’m certainly going work my hardest to make sure I represent every person in San Diego on the serious issues. Remember, 57 percent of the people didn’t vote for Donna Frye.

TB: The runoff campaign was less than 24 hours old when you were accused of attacking Frye. What’s the difference between an attack and a fair discussion of your opponent’s record?

JS: I don’t think you interpret somebody’s motives, or interpret what they’ve done. I think you lay out very clearly what the record says. And that’s what I feel I’ve done.

TB: Where is Frye most vulnerable?

JS: She’s got a record in council, how she’s voted. I think that’s fair game. Look at everything she’s done in council. And on the pension fund. I do know that nine times she voted yes, the 10th time she voted no. That’s on the record; that’s a fact.

TB: You made much in the primary campaign of not being a politician. But Steve Francis branded you an insider, and you have had to play politics—especially with City Hall—as police chief. And there’s politics involved in running any big agency like the Red Cross and United Way.

JS: I like to say I was around politics; I didn’t participate in it.

TB: What’s the difference?

JS: In terms of being a politician, I’ve never run for public office before. And I haven’t made any of the decisions that have created any of the problems in the city. The only time I was part of the city, I was part of the solution—that the police department brought about. And the fact that I’ve not been an elected official means I bring a fresh perspective into this.

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