SAN DIEGO _ Even before Rep. Duncan D. Hunter resigned from Congress last month, it was no secret that the race to replace him was going to get brutal, especially on the Republican side of the aisle.
After all, the top Republican front-runners, former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio and former Rep. Darrell Issa, are two of San Diego County's most well-known firebrands.
What has intrigued political observers, though, are the messages each has used to attack each other. DeMaio and Issa have traded pointed barbs for months in TV ads, tweets, mailers, and forums _ all about who would be the strongest and most ardent supporter of President Donald Trump if elected to Congress.
Trump "is the Republican Party," said Carl Luna, professor of political science at San Diego Mesa College, so that tactic is expected in the race for California's 50th Congressional District, which includes parts of East and inland North San Diego County and a southern portion of Riverside county. Currently there are 161,184 registered Republicans in the district compared with 115,581 registered Democrats.
"In the reddest district in the county, you have to be the Trumpiest of Trumps to rally the most support in a divided field," Luna said, adding the question for right-leaning voters in the 50th may be what type of Trump candidate they want.
"DeMaio is running as Trump the Populist, (an) anti-elite, anti-establishment candidate, blasting Issa for being a professional politician and part of the Washington establishment swamp," Luna said. "Issa is running as Trump the Social Conservative, stressing Issa's pro-life, pro-conservative causes (and) voting record, while dredging up any and all comments DeMaio made in the past which weren't 100% pro-life."
