by At a tearful Zoom meeting of the party’s Central Committee on Tuesday, Will Rodriguez-Kennedy was elected chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party.
Rodriguez-Kennedy defeated former South Area Vice Chair Sara Ochoa 37-27. In May 2022, Rodriguez-Kennedy resigned as party chair due to charges of sexual assault. Last-minute contender Lori Salda received three votes.
A lawsuit filed by Rodriguez-Kennedy’s ex-boyfriend was dropped, and no charges were filed.
Half an hour into the gathering, Marni von Wilpertal, a member of the San Diego City Council, declared her intention to run for the state Senate in District 40 and said she was seriously considering a run to oust Republican Representative Darrell Issa in the 48th Congressional District.
At the SD Democratic Party gathering on Tuesday night, San Diego Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert declared she was “strongly considering running to flip Darrell Issa’s seat” in Congress. She announced her intention to run for the California Senate in March.
Rodriguez-Kennedy resigned as chair in January 2023, and Becca Taylor was chosen to take over. In July 2024, Taylor lost her life in a motorcycle accident.
Taylor was succeeded by Kyle Krahel-Frolander, who resigned as chair to run for North County supervisor, and then by Ross Pike, who chaired the three-hour meeting on Tuesday night.
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Audio:Opening statements from Democratic Party chair candidates
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Audio:Central Committee members question three chair candidates
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Audio:Three supporters each promote chair candidates not in room
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Audio:Election results told and comments from three chair candidates
All three candidates addressed questions and gave opening and closing remarks after defeating a request to postpone the chair election by one month (51-16).
The Central Committee then discussed their qualities after the competitors were placed in a waiting area.
Pike issued a warning that any negative comments will be muted. Members mentioned Trumpian methods and anonymous hit letters, but he didn’t have to. About 25% of voters cast ballots, despite others urging them not to.
Salda remarked in her opening remarks: If we use the same strategies as the individuals we are attempting to oppose, the Democratic party will fail.
She then remarked about Pike: I came to understand that the chair operates a very tight ship and that he immediately silences people when we talk out of turn. Therefore, speaking as a candidate is the only way to speak in turn.
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May 7, 2022:Chair of County Democratic Party Takes Leave Over Assault Claim
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Sept. 23, 2022:Party Leader Counters Rape Claim: Sex Audio Indicates Max Consent
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Jan. 5, 2023:Taylor Unchallenged for San Diego Dem Chair as Leader Bows
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July 31, 2024:Former Party Chair Tells Exoneration From Sex Assault Accusation
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June 8, 2025:Democratic drama: Three possible rivals for San Diego party chair
According to Ochoa, she was rushing to change the party.
“With you, not alone by myself,” she said. Stable leadership that does not bow to pressure from the most powerful is what our community is searching for. That expresses the love and truth that are evident in the streets.
She would also set an example for how we should behave in political settings by offering an olive branch, turning the other cheek, and making reparations when we fail.
The 38-year-old Rodriguez-Kennedy mentioned his previous tenure as chair, which started in 2019.
He said that we made incredible improvement. For the first time in modern history, we turned the county board of supervisors from red to blue.
The Marine veteran and resident of the South Bronx mentioned his current position as an aide to Rep. Scott Peters, a field representative for Veterans Affairs and defense.
As a part of the African and Latino diaspora, he added, “My job is to fight government agencies in order to get benefits for our veterans and military service members.”
In a letter to Central Committee members dated August 11, county supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe seemed to criticize Rodriguez-Kennedy without mentioning him by name.
She said that it is not a wise political move to rely on allusions to the suffering endured by oppressed people throughout history.
Though party officials continue to use our suffering for political gain, the Democratic Party has consistently failed to place a high priority on the authenticity and lived history of Black Americans.
All candidates were asked eight questions, one of which was on their plans for the Black community.
Omar Hashimi inquired as to whether Israel’s invasion of Gaza constituted a genocide.
Salda, a traveler to Palestine, would only mention that genocide had a legal term. Claiming to have visited a battle zone, Rodriguez-Kennedy stated that it was obvious Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had committed war crimes, but he refrained from calling the Jewish state’s acts genocide.
Ochoa was the only one to proclaim it a genocide. As she mentioned the deaths of children in Gaza and the fact that she is the only candidate with a mother’s name, she started to cry.
Each candidate was asked to summarize the main goals of the local Democratic Party in one line by former party chair Francine Busby.
Rodriguez-Kennedy discussed the process of finding, choosing, and endorsing candidates. Ochoa stated that it was to serve as the means of bringing about the transformation we are due. Salda said she didn’t have a single response, but she did mention the backlog of rape kits that need to be tested and how to give people leaders to solve problems and improve our lives.
Salda sent me a note after the meeting, stating that she had nominated herself to ensure that we covered other topics and to prevent a colloquy between two people.
These include its audit, which has not yet been made public, and the requirement for more party transparency about funds.
As members of the Central Committee, it is our duty to comprehend the party budget reports and to see them, she stated. Requesting to see the reports shouldn’t be too difficult or time-consuming. (I requested it verbally at the controller report, and I was instructed to send it in via email.)
Regarding the audit that was started in late 2023, it has started to resemble the Epstein files: For years, many people discussed it, but it was never made available for real scrutiny.
Following Pike’s reading of the results, the contenders gave each other and the voters a salute.
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Rodriguez-Kennedy stated, “I want to thank Sara for a spirited campaign.” I’m excited to collaborate with you and keep going forward. I shall continue to work until I am unable to do so.
Saldana acknowledged that there were some difficult moments early in the race and asked everyone who took part in sending those anonymous comments to speak up and step up. Many of our neighbors face existential challenges, which we are battling.
“I believe in all of you,” Ochoa stated. I do believe that we must be able to speak the truth in a loving manner.
There were some things that I felt we weren t allowed to say, but we gotta find a way to find that balance better because if we don t make space to tell our truths, then it comes out in the consternation and tension between us and anonymous letters.
Ochoa concluded: I m still here and I wish Will and this committee all the best and I m still in this thing.
